Dave Umahi

Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works, has slammed Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), stating that he is bringing judgement upon himself.

He accused Obi of inciting the Southeast people against the Tinubu-led administration.

Umahi, a former Governor of Ebonyi State, said Obi is deliberately leading some people of the Southeast, especially those who are not well-informed, astray over the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

Speaking during an event to compensate property owners affected by the project on Wednesday in Abuja, Umahi claimed that Obi would not fight for the people even after getting them into trouble.

Recall that the 700-kilometre coastal highway has been enmeshed in controversy following the demolition of Landmark Beach Resort, valued at $200 million, to create a right of way for the project which is estimated to cost the federal government N15 trillion.

Reacting to the development in an X post on Tuesday, Obi slammed the Tinubu administration for going on with the controversial highway project in defiance of public outcry.

However, Umahi insisted there was no inhumanity meted to Landmark and that the matter should be buried because he was actively involved.

The former governor alleged that Obi goes around condemning people, thereby bringing judgment upon himself and should stop playing politics with the project.

He said: “It brings to some of the comments made by my brother, his Excellency Mr Peter Obi, I am not supposed to comment about it because some people have already done the work. And I know what Arise Television brought courtesy of Channels Television, they were bringing similar scenarios when His Excellency Peter Obi was the governor. He made a statement saying ”Any infrastructure that stands in the way of the road must go. And there would be no compensation paid.” That’s what he said.

“But look at me, by the human face of the renewed hope agenda administration, we are even paying for people who are illegally staying on the coastal line, and don’t have valid infrastructure and valid documents. That is mercy, that’s mercy… You know some people darken counsel without knowledge. You know there’s the devil in the details.

“There’s is no inhumanity meted to Landmark, that matters should be buried because I was there. And so we fought everything possible. Even some people donated property to save his two big infrastructures. That’s appreciation. But some people have taken sides along with him to play politics.”