By Ahmed Akanbi
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed claims that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is worried about Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting that neither President Bola Tinubu nor the ruling party considers the former Labour Party (LP) candidate a threat.
Speaking during a televised interview on Tuesday, Umahi described the growing perception of Obi as a formidable challenger as “AI politics” — a product of social media narratives rather than political reality.
“Even me, I cannot be scared of Peter Obi, not to talk about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or our party, the APC. What displays around Peter Obi is AI politics. It is putting something on nothing. Nobody is scared of Peter Obi,” the minister said.
Umahi also questioned Obi’s performance as governor of Anambra State. He alleged that the former governor failed to deliver key infrastructure projects, establish industries, empower residents, or settle contractors before leaving office.
The minister’s remarks were in response to Obi’s recent call for President Tinubu to resign over the country’s worsening security situation.
According to Umahi, Obi lacked the moral authority to make such a demand.
“I asked myself, how many times did Peter Obi resign as Governor of Anambra State for failure to fix roads, establish industries, empower people, build an airport or seaport, or pay contractors?” he asked.
The minister further accused some members of the Obidient movement of intolerance, alleging that critics of Obi are often subjected to insults, threats and online attacks.
He contrasted this with what he described as Tinubu’s tolerance of criticism.
“You disagree with Peter Obi, then he takes you to court. How many people has President Tinubu taken to court despite the attacks against him?” Umahi queried.
Umahi challenged supporters of the former LP presidential candidate to a public debate on infrastructure development and the achievements of the Tinubu administration. He expressed confidence that the government’s performance would withstand scrutiny.
Defending the administration’s economic policies, Umahi said Tinubu inherited deep-rooted structural problems that could not be resolved within three years.
He argued that government policies were beginning to yield positive results and urged Nigerians to judge the administration by its ongoing reforms and infrastructure projects rather than political rhetoric.
The minister expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s record in office would earn him another term in 2027, insisting that no opposition presidential hopeful has demonstrated the capacity to outperform the current administration.