Umahi renews challenge to Obi, says debate should focus on governance records
By Onu Okorie
Umahi renews challenge to Obi, says debate should focus on governance records
By Onu Okorie
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has renewed his call for a public debate with former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, insisting that the proposed engagement should centre on governance records and measurable achievements rather than political status or campaign rhetoric.
In a statement, Umahi’s camp argued that the invitation was intended to provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the performance of two former governors based on their legacies in office, rather than their current political positions.
According to the statement, Obi declined the invitation on the grounds that he is currently a presidential candidate while Umahi is not. However, the minister maintained that the proposed debate was never about electoral ambition but about accountability and leadership, urging both leaders to present their records for public scrutiny.
The statement said governance should be evaluated through verifiable projects and institutional development, stressing that political ambition should not stand in the way of an honest comparison of achievements.
It further highlighted Umahi’s public service career, describing it as spanning the private sector, party administration and several elective and appointive offices, including State Chairman of a ruling political party, Deputy Governor, Governor of Ebonyi State, Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, Co-Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Senator representing Ebonyi South and currently Minister of Works.
By contrast, the statement noted that Obi’s principal elective office was his tenure as Governor of Anambra State, arguing that he had not served in other executive or legislative positions at the national level.
The statement also listed several projects executed during Umahi’s administration in Ebonyi State, including road infrastructure, flyovers, bridges, hospitals, educational institutions, markets, government buildings, water schemes and urban renewal initiatives.
Among the projects cited were the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital in Uburu, the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, the Ecumenical Centre, the Ebonyi Shopping Mall, the State Judiciary Complex, the New Government House, the State Executive Council Chambers, the Margaret Umahi International Market and the revitalised Fertiliser Blending Plant.
The minister’s camp further pointed to Umahi’s current role overseeing major federal road projects under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Calabar-Abuja Super Highway and the rehabilitation of strategic federal highways across the country.
The statement maintained that these projects constitute visible evidence of performance and should form part of any public assessment of leadership.
Responding to Obi’s frequent references to the savings accumulated during his administration in Anambra State, the statement acknowledged fiscal discipline as an important element of governance but argued that governments should also be judged by physical infrastructure, institutional development and the lasting impact of projects on citizens’ lives.
It further alleged that for most of Obi’s eight-year tenure, Anambra State operated without democratically elected local government chairmen, relying instead on caretaker committees until local government elections were conducted shortly before the end of his administration.
The statement insisted that the proposed debate would have focused on verifiable indicators such as roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, public institutions, urban renewal and economic development, rather than political personalities or party affiliations.
It argued that Nigerians deserve the opportunity to compare the records of public office holders objectively, adding that leadership should ultimately be judged by tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
Umahi reaffirmed his readiness to participate in the proposed debate on any credible platform, expressing confidence that an objective assessment of governance records would allow Nigerians to determine whose administration delivered greater developmental impact.
