Ebonyi does not have a rainbow coalition, the state remains firmly with the APC

Public Works Minister David Umahi has dismissed reports of a political “rainbow coalition” in Ebonyi State, saying the state remains aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

Umahi spoke on Friday, September 25, during an inspection of the Calabar-Abuja Highway in Benue State.

His position comes amid the ongoing dispute between Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and some APC governors over cross-party political platforms associated with Wike. The dispute centers on whether politicians can support President Bola Tinubu while maintaining separate political arrangements at state and legislative levels.

A statement issued on Saturday by Senior Special Assistant on Media to Umahi, Francis Nwaze, said the minister inspected Section Two of the highway in Ado and directed contractors to expedite construction.

When asked about his relationship with Wike and reports of a similar political setup emerging in Ebonyi, Umahi said there was no such coalition in the state.

“If Wike has a candidate here, he has not told me. And his candidate cannot break our relationship, but his candidate is not part of our relationship. There is no rainbow coalition in Ebonyi State.”

Umahi also reviewed his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, saying he believed the party had failed to recognize the interests of the South East.

“We supported the PDP. We elected the president in the PDP. And when it came time for them to respect us, they didn’t respect us. They persecuted us,” Umahi said.

He said everyone was free to campaign in Ebonyi but warned against inflammatory rhetoric or attempts to destabilize the state.

“Whoever wants to campaign, come and campaign. But don’t spread hate speech and you want to accept that speech, and you want us to roll out the red carpet for you. We won’t do that,” he said.

“No one can trigger a crisis in Ebonyi State,” the minister added.

The comments come as the Rainbow Coalition continues to stir up discord within the ruling APC camp. APC governors have openly opposed political arrangements that they believe could influence the party’s candidates, while Wike stated that his coalition is separate from the APC and focused on supporting Tinubu in the presidential election.

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Umahi also rejected claims that his position as Public Works Minister had resulted in undue concentration of Federal Government projects in the South East.

“I saw on social media they said I was cornering all projects to the South East. That was very extraordinary. But we had a publication of all the ongoing projects by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, so they blurred the advice without knowledge,” he said.

“I’m not alone. The President is my boss. So where will he be when I direct all the projects to the Southeast?” Umahi asked.

In his opinion, the Southeast region is benefiting from the Federal Government’s broader infrastructure program, although he acknowledged that the region may not rank first, second or third in terms of project distribution.

He said the region “certainly won’t be the last.”

The minister urged Nigerians to judge his government based on projects implemented, not promises made during political campaigns.

“We tell our story. It’s not about saying, ‘I’m going to do this, I’m going to do this.’ What did that person do? “Let’s compare the past with the present,” he said.

He cited the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway as one of the major projects under the administration, putting the value of Part Two at about ₦683 billion and Part One at about ₦454 billion.

During the inspection, Umahi directed contractors working on the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway not to demolish buildings along the existing route while the Federal Government inspects the route.

“My instructions are, don’t touch any buildings. Even if they are in the alignment, I have to come and straighten them out. So, you just have to continue your work and go around the buildings until we come to see them,” he said.

He also instructed contractors to speed up construction and open additional sections while engineers work on challenges related to the Ado Bridge.

“I don’t believe in engineering that everything is impossible,” said Umahi.

The former Ebonyi governor also explained his continued political support for Tinubu, and linked his position to the President’s policies and infrastructure agenda.

“The background to this is because I believe in President Bola Tinubu. I believe he is the one called by God. I believe in his vision. I believe in the reforms he is carrying out. I believe he is the best person I have ever worked with and for, and I am very proud to work for him and work with him,” he said.

Umahi said sustainability is important for large infrastructure projects that take several years to complete.

“If, God forbid, someone else says he is President, all these projects will stop. And I don’t think Ebonyi wants their projects to stop,” he said.

Umahi also discussed his son’s nomination as chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area, stressing that the decision was made by Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru and not by him.

He said he had advised his son to ensure that development was distributed fairly across the 11 districts of the council.

“I have told him, don’t do anything for the people of Uburu because you are from Uburu. It must be shared equally among the eleven ward councils in Ohaozara Local Government,” he said.