(Umahi believes South-East support for Tinubu is rooted in loyalty, not party ties or negotiation for Nnamdi Kanu?s release)

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?s growing support among South-East leaders is driven by long-standing personal loyalty and mutual respect, not party affiliation. He stressed that for many of these leaders, friendship and shared history with the president take precedence over political labels ? and that will shape their support in 2027.

Speaking during a press conference on Friday while touring federal projects in the South-West, Umahi confidently declared that South-East governors ? regardless of their political parties ? are aligned with President Tinubu.

?Tell me, who is not working for him?? Umahi asked rhetorically. ?Friendship is bigger than the ties of party. That?s what I?ve realised.?

Umahi pointed to longstanding relationships between President Tinubu and several South-East governors, including those in opposition parties, as evidence of cross-party loyalty based on mutual respect and history.

?The Enugu governor (Mbah) is a Lagos boy. He?s been a friend of the president. He will not work against the president whether he joins our party or not,? Umahi said. ?The governor of Abia state (Alex Otti) is my cousin. He is also a Lagos boy. He?s been there and friendly with the president. They had known themselves and they will all work for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

?Now, my state governor (Ebonyi?s Nwifuru) is the son of the president. You can?t take that away from him. Forget about coalition. Ebonyi state is 100% APC.?

He also highlighted the bond between the president and Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo, who belongs to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

?Soludo is a Lagos boy. He?s a friend of the president. He?s doing very well in Anambra state, irrespective of the fact that my party is also struggling with him. But you can?t remove the fact that he has done very well. So we are at peace and this time, we will not divide our votes,? Umahi said.

While speaking, he also stated that although President Tinubu is willing to negotiate the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), his case is not a condition for the South-East?s continued support of the President.

?Somebody asked me about Nnamdi Kanu and I said that Nnamdi Kanu?s matter is not something that we give as a condition to the president,? Umahi stated.

?He?s a listening president and we are willing to go and negotiate his release. We are willing to go and negotiate his release and we are going to do that. But it?s not a condition for South-East to support the president. Whoever is saying that is making a mistake, because he didn?t put him there.?

He expressed hope that ?through God?s grace and will,? Kanu would eventually regain freedom but maintained that the South-East?s political loyalty to Tinubu is not contingent on the outcome of that process.

I will continue to ask my people to see beyond sentiments, to see beyond people?s selfish ambition,? he said. ?President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not doing everything right ? because he?s not God ? but he?s doing most things right, and you should understand from where he took over the realm of governance. He has done very well. I?m ready to defend this government to any level.?

He concluded by saying, ?You can?t unite by hating one man. You can?t unite out of envy and jealousy. I think the country should be put first in whatever thing we are doing.? (AriseNews TV, but headline rejigged)

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