Obi declines the debate because he cannot defend his record

The Minister of Public Works, David Umahi, has claimed the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, turned down an invitation to a public debate because he could not stand to be compared to their respective track records in public office.

Umahi made the remarks in a statement issued on Sunday by Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, in response to Obi’s recent comments rejecting the minister’s challenge.

The former governor of Ebonyi State invited Obi, who also served as governor of Anambra State for two terms, for a public discussion on their performance while in office.

But Obi rejected the suggestion during an interview with media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo, and insisted that such involvement was only reserved for presidential candidates. He argued that Umahi should first become a presidential candidate before inviting him to debate, likening the situation to “a football team that qualified for the FIFA World Cup being challenged by a team that failed to qualify.”

Responding to Obi’s position, Umahi emphasized that the invitation had nothing to do with political ambition or election contestation, but was aimed at encouraging government accountability.

According to the minister, “Many Nigerians expected this to be one of the most important talks on public service in recent times. Instead, Mr. Obi declined the invitation, explaining that he is currently a presidential candidate while Senator Umahi is not.”

“But the challenge is not about the status of the election, it is about accountability, it is about inviting two former governors to present their notes before the Nigerian people and giving the people an opportunity to judge whose leadership has had the greater impact.

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“If governments are measured by performance, then political ambition will not preclude an honest comparison of notes.”

Umahi argued that his experience in public service goes far beyond his tenure as governor, citing several leadership positions he has held over the years.

The statement noted that the minister has served as state party chairman, deputy governor, governor, chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, vice chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, senator and currently Minister of Works.

This contrasts with the career of Obi, who stated that his highest elected office was governor of Anambra State.

“In contrast, Peter Obi’s highest elective public office and all his experience is Governor of Anambra State. Apart from that, he has never held any other executive or legislative public office. Not a party chairman, not a minister, and has never been a senator.

“At every stage, Umahi’s leadership has been tested through elections, public scrutiny and increased national responsibility,” the statement said.

Highlighting his achievements, Umahi pointed to the infrastructure projects implemented during his administration in Ebonyi State, including roads, bridges, flyovers, hospitals and schools, as well as the ongoing federal highways projects implemented under his watch as Minister of Public Works.

He also criticized Obi’s emphasis on careful financial management while serving as governor, and emphasized that governance must ultimately be judged based on real improvements in the lives of citizens, not based on the size of government savings.

According to the statement, “Keeping money in the bank while contractors go unpaid and fail to complete meaningful, life-impacting projects cannot be considered an achievement. Ultimately, leadership is measured by the tangible improvements it makes in people’s lives.”

Umahi further alleged that Obi ruled Anambra State for most of his term without a democratically elected local government chairman, and instead relied on a caretaker committee until local government elections were held shortly before he left office.

Despite Obi’s refusal, the minister reiterated his willingness to participate in public debate on any credible platform, and stressed that Nigerians deserve the opportunity to compare the track records of those seeking leadership positions.

He stated, “One cannot aspire to lead a complex and demanding country like Nigeria without a demonstrable track record of performance as a governor.

“Similarly, it is difficult to convince Nigerians that you are ready to challenge a government led by a focused and determined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when you are not even a match for him and cannot stand to debate one of the key leaders of that government based on verifiable performance and achievements.

“Nigerians deserve the opportunity to evaluate the record,” the statement added.