The Minister of Works [Dave Umahi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Umahi) has declared that former Anambra governor Peter Obi does not constitute a danger to President [Bola Tinubu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bola_Tinubu) or the [All Progressives Congress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Progressives_Congress) as the country looks toward the 2027 presidential contest.
Umahi, who previously governed Ebonyi State, expressed confidence that the APC could capture all five South‑east states in the upcoming election, arguing that the Tinubu administration has begun to remedy the marginalisation the region suffered under the former government.
He made these remarks on Sunday during an interview with Channels Television’s "Sunday Politics" programme.
Peter Obi, who ran for president in 2023 on the Labour Party ticket, secured victories in the five South‑east states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
According to Umahi, that result was partly a backlash against the way the Buhari era treated the region, noting the lack of senior military appointments and major ministerial portfolios for the South‑east at the time.
"We were not fairly treated by the previous administration; we received no service chiefs and no key ministries," he said. "The marginalisation persisted and even intensified, so it would be unfair to blame the South‑east entirely for the outcome."
He added that the situation has shifted under the current government, with South‑east politicians now occupying important federal positions.
"Now the story is completely different. I am the Minister of Works – a portfolio that never existed before for a Southerner. We also have a Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Minister of Science and Industry from the region. The appointments have made us very pleased," Umahi explained.
Regarding Obi’s prospects, Umahi noted that other presidential hopefuls from the South‑east would also dilute his chances in 2027.
"It is not only Peter Obi from the South‑east contesting. There are three or four other candidates, including a woman. So, as far as I am concerned, Obi is not a threat," he said.
He cautioned that his assessment should not be taken as an attempt to downplay the former governor’s influence.
Umahi expressed confidence that the Tinubu government’s record and its treatment of the South‑east would help the APC regain support in the region.
He also mentioned that discussions about creating a sixth state for the South‑east are ongoing, describing the initiative as a "work in progress." The South‑east currently comprises five states, the fewest among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, and proposals such as carving out Anioma from Delta State have resurfaced.
"The region is not seeking preferential treatment; we simply want equitable treatment. I thank the National Assembly for considering the creation of a sixth state, which aligns with the principle of fairness," Umahi said.
He pointed to recent senior federal appointments of South‑east indigenes as evidence of the administration’s commitment to integration.
"The president has fully integrated the South‑east. We now have a Naval Chief and an Air Force Chief from the region. The intention is to treat the nation as one united family," he concluded.
The proposal for a new South‑east state has been debated in the National Assembly, with former Abia North Senator Orji Uzor Kalu previously advocating for an Anioma State carved out of Delta North.