Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has expressed confidence that the South-East will support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, describing the region’s 2023 presidential election outcome as an “accident of history” that will not repeat itself.

Speaking on Saturday during an inspection of federal projects in the South-East under the Renewed Hope Ambassadors initiative, Umahi said ongoing infrastructure projects by the Tinubu administration are already reshaping political sentiments in the region.

He referenced the 2023 election, where former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, won all five South-East states, including Ebonyi, while finishing third nationally behind Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The South-East people are very appreciative of what the President is doing and by Monday, under the leadership of the governor of Ebonyi State, we are going to demonstrate it when we adopt the President and our governor,” Umahi said.

“And let it be known that Ebonyi State is not obedient because we want to catch up with the rest of the country. We’ll never be obedient. What happened before was an accident of history; it will not repeat itself.”

Umahi highlighted several ongoing federal infrastructure projects in the region, including the 123.6-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Superhighway, linking the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway corridor through Ndi-Egbe Bridge to the Benue border.

He also listed other projects such as the Dangote tax credit road linking to Okigwe in Abia State, the ₦196 billion Port Harcourt–Enugu Expressway, the ₦65 billion Ndi-Egbe Bridge, and the ₦183 billion Enugu–Abakaliki Road project.

According to him, the second section of the Trans-Saharan Superhighway spanning Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states has been awarded at ₦668 billion, with some sections reportedly about 28% completed despite the rainy season.

Describing the project as a major economic corridor, the minister said it would enhance trade and agricultural movement across regions and strengthen connectivity to Cameroon.

“The Trans-Sahara Superhighway is not just a road; it is an investment corridor that will catalyse trade in agricultural produce like cassava, yams, cashews and palm oil… while also connecting Nigeria to Cameroon,” he said.

He added that the South-East is now witnessing what he described as long-awaited federal inclusion in infrastructure development, noting that past administrations failed to deliver comparable projects in the region.