A leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Adolphous Ude, has challenged assertions by Minister of Works, David Umahi, that the South-East region is satisfied with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Ude argued that the South-East continues to face marginalisation under the current government, citing limited evidence of inclusive governance. “The region has seen little tangible benefit from the Tinubu administration beyond what previous governments delivered,” he said, highlighting the exclusion of the South-East from key federal infrastructure projects such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto–Badagry Highway, both awarded to Hitech Construction Company Limited.
He also criticised the slow progress of ongoing road projects, referencing the Ninth Mile–Enugu–Makurdi Highway. “Nearly two years after its commencement in January 2024, sections within the Enugu axis remain in deplorable condition,” Ude noted.
The ADC chieftain questioned the minister’s claims of inclusiveness, asking, “Which long-standing grievances of the South-East have been addressed? What benefits have the Igbo people received under Tinubu that surpass previous administrations?”
Umahi, during an inspection of federal projects in the region, had earlier attributed perceptions of marginalisation to agitation for Biafra, stating that the Igbo are “fully integrated into the nation’s mainstream” and satisfied with the current government. Ude, however, dismissed this narrative, insisting that genuine inclusivity requires visible development and equitable access to national projects.
