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Francis Nwaze, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Works on Media, has challenged Valentine Obienyem to provide evidence of Peter Obi’s contribution to Ebonyi State and the wider Southeast.
In a statement issued on Friday and made available to Daily Sun, Nwaze was reacting to Obienyem’s article, “Dave Umahi and Incestuous Reasoning”, in which he questioned Umahi’s record while presenting Obi as a model of leadership.
He asked what Obi did for Ebonyians or the wider Igbo community that should make him the standard against which Umahi must be judged. He also questioned whether Ebonyians occupied significant positions in Anambra State during Obi’s tenure as governor.
Nwaze contrasted this with Umahi’s administration in Ebonyi. “Anambra-born Charles Emeka Akpuenika served as Ebonyi Commissioner for Youths and Sports. Rose Ezeadikwa served with the State Universal Basic Education Board,” he said.
He also cited Chinaco Nzeakor, who served as Special Assistant to the Governor on Internal Security; Rev. Euphraim Ononye, Chairman of the Ebonyi State Pilgrims Board; and Uchem Oka, a Technical Assistant to the governor.
Defending Umahi’s development record, Nwaze listed 14 twin flyovers, the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State International Shopping Mall, the airport project and concrete roads across the state.
“Umahi embarked on the construction of 14 twin flyovers at strategic locations, each of which was valued at between ₦1.8 billion and ₦2.5 billion at the time,” he said, adding that many were delivered through direct labour.
Nwaze also pointed to Umahi’s current role as Minister of Works, citing the Enugu-Port Harcourt Road, Eke-Obinagu Flyover, access roads to the Second Niger Bridge, repair and reconstruction of the First Niger Bridge and the Calabar-Ebonyi-Enugu-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway.
“These are tangible projects. They are visible. They are projects people can see, feel and touch,” Nwaze said, arguing that the projects demonstrate ongoing infrastructure development across the Southeast.
He also rejected Obienyem’s description of some of Umahi’s projects as “vanity” projects and criticised the use of personal attacks in the debate. “Those are not arguments; they are personal attacks,” Nwaze said, urging political discussions to focus on records, projects and measurable outcomes.
Nwaze, who is also Southeast Zonal Coordinator of the New Media Directorate of the 2027 Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, said Umahi’s supporters believe his record as Deputy Governor, Governor, Southeast Governors’ Forum chairman, senator and Minister of Works provides a basis for their political position, while urging voters to examine the records and interests of the competing political actors.
