Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has declared that the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is not a precondition for the South-East to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos on Friday night, Umahi dismissed claims that the region had issued demands, including Kanu’s release, as a bargaining chip for political backing.
According to him, while many in the South-East favour Kanu’s release, the matter should not be politicised or used as leverage.
“Somebody asked me about Nnamdi Kanu, and I said his matter is not a condition for the South-East to support the President. We are willing to negotiate his release, but no one should make it a condition because the President did not put him there,” he said.
The former Ebonyi State governor praised President Tinubu as a listening and reform-minded leader, asserting that any decision on Kanu would be achieved through dialogue and divine intervention, not pressure.
He noted that Tinubu inherited an ailing economy and had made significant progress in stabilising it, citing renewed international confidence and support for Nigeria.
Umahi also highlighted key federal infrastructure projects ongoing in the South-East, including long-abandoned road rehabilitations, which he said demonstrate Tinubu’s commitment to balanced development across the country.
He challenged critics of the administration to present evidence of their own contributions to the nation.
Dismissing allegations of marginalisation, Umahi said the Tinubu administration had given the South-East more recognition than previous governments, particularly through strategic appointments and infrastructure investments.
He urged political unity in the region, stressing that even opposition governors were collaborating effectively with the President.
Addressing speculation about his own political ambitions, Umahi was emphatic:
“I will not run [in 2027]. I will work for my boss, President Tinubu. APC is the path to achieving what we want. The South-East now has a voice at the centre. We will not return to Egypt.”
