Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
THE Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has dismissed claims by Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi that his life is under threat, describing the statement as a sign of frustration.
Speaking at the weekend while inspecting President Bola Tinubu’s legacy projects in Ebonyi State, Umahi insisted that nobody wants Obi dead and that the former Anambra governor would be alive to contest the 2027 election and lose again.
“Nobody wants Obi dead; it’s not just reasonable. We all want him alive to contest this election and watch himself lose again,” Umahi declared.
Development in South-East ‘Threatens Obi’s Popularity’
The minister attributed Obi’s concerns to the visible development and inclusion of the South-East zone under President Tinubu, which he said has become a major threat to Obi’s acclaimed popularity in the region.
“What he is afraid of is because he said South-East is his catchment area because of the last election which I call accident of history, but we have come with visible development in the zone and our people have now agreed with us that we are better off with President Tinubu to complete the good works he is doing for us than playing Artificial Intelligence (AI) kind of politics,” Umahi stated.
Minister Challenges Obi to Public Debate
Umahi reiterated his readiness to debate Obi on the many gains of the present administration and the reasons the South-East should be grateful for inclusion in national politics.
The minister warned that if Obi continues to attack President Tinubu, he would respond in kind.
“Some people asked me why I’m attacking Obi, my brother, I’m not attacking him; I’m just saying the truth but he should stop attacking President Tinubu and should support and commend his infrastructure development ongoing in South-East and beyond,” Umahi said .
Obi’s Death Threat Allegations
Obi had earlier alleged that he had received threats over his criticism of the federal government and expressed concern about the country’s political climate, suggesting that the current administration could ensure he was not alive before the 2027 election .
The Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has since described Obi’s statement as “deeply worrisome” and said it should be taken seriously .
“Beyond that, there are broader concerns about freedom of expression, access to information, and the shrinking civic space, especially as the elections draw closer,” said NHRC Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu .
