Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has urged the people of Ebonyi State to take a more active role in shaping the political future of the state and the country.
Umahi made the call recently, at a town hall meeting with Ebonyi stakeholders held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre in Abakaliki.
The meeting, organised by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitization of the 2027 APC Presidential Campaign Council, was attended by serving and former senators, members of State House of Assembly, former members of the State Executive Council, Christian Association of Nigeria leaders, traditional rulers, presidents- general and other political stakeholders.
The gathering ended with the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for re-election in 2027.
Addressing the stakeholders, Umahi called on traditional rulers, religious leaders and political actors—particularly in the Southeast—to become more involved in political discussions and decisions.
He argued that politics was closely linked to democracy, development and the future of the people, urging community leaders to help residents make informed choices.
“It is only in the Southeast that our traditional fathers will say they don’t play politics. Politics is about democracy; it is about development, and our traditional fathers are about development. They are about making the right choices,” he said.
The minister also challenged religious leaders to move beyond preaching and participate in conversations about leadership and governance.
“If the religious leaders only stay on their pulpit to tell us what we are not doing right, they are missing it. They have to be part of the foundation of our leaders,” Umahi said.
He recalled Ebonyi’s political journey and said the state had remained silent for too long on issues affecting its interests.
“We have kept quiet so much as Ebonyi people. So, the essence of our coming is: choose you this day the path that we should follow,” he stated.
Umahi maintained that no community could secure what belonged to it by remaining passive. He said freedom and development required deliberate choices and active participation from the people.
“You can’t keep quiet and be able to get that which belongs to you,” he added. “The future of Ebonyi State is in the hands of Ebonyi people.”
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for the Southeast, Chioma Nweze, called for greater political unity in the region.
Nweze said the Southeast could increase its influence at the national level by voting collectively for a common political platform.
“As Southeast people, our votes can only swing in our favour if we vote in a bloc,” she said. “We have always negotiated from outside the room because we don’t vote for the winning party, and marginalisation is hard to fix from outside the room.”
She urged the region to seek a stronger presence in national decision-making by using its voting strength to negotiate for development, appointments and greater representation.
“We have to be able to take our seats. We have to have a voice inside when decisions are taken,” she said.
The high point of the meeting was the passage of a vote of confidence and endorsement of Tinubu and Nwifuru for the 2027 elections.
Moving the motion, Senator Julius Ali Ucha said Ebonyi had benefited significantly from the current administration, particularly through the responsibilities entrusted to Umahi as Minister of Works.
He called on eligible voters and political leaders in the state to adopt the APC and support all its candidates, from the presidency to the National and State Assemblies.
Seconding the motion, Senator Anthony Agbo praised Umahi’s political resilience and described him as a leader whose achievements had brought honour to Ebonyi State.
Agbo also commended the minister for remaining influential despite opposition, saying his political career and public service had earned him a prominent place in Nigeria’s political history.
Putting the motion to a vote, Umahi said the endorsement would translate into practical political action across the state.
He declared that Ebonyi would support Tinubu’s re-election to enable him complete his constitutionally permitted eight-year tenure, consolidate existing development projects and initiate new ones.
He also linked the state’s support for the President to the attraction of additional federal appointments and projects to Ebonyi.
On the governorship, Umahi endorsed Nwifuru for a second term, saying the governor should complete an eight-year tenure. He further expressed support for the next governor emerging from the North Senatorial Zone.
“That we will take this message from door to door, that Ebonyi State is APC and we will vote all APC candidates from top to bottom,” he declared.
The resolution received overwhelming support from the stakeholders, who responded with applause and loud ovations.
