Key Points
- Umahi says Igbo inclusion has improved under Tinubu led government today. He links new roads to reduced calls for separation.
- Minister lists major southeast road projects now underway across states. He says funding runs into hundreds of billions.
- Umahi urges leaders to seek relevance through strategy not sentiment. He says timing now favours the southeast region.
David Umahi has said the Igbo are no longer marginalised in Nigeria today as he inspected federal road works in the southeast. He told reporters that the pace of development has eased past feelings of exclusion and that this progress weakens calls for renewed Biafra agitation.
The minister made the remarks during a project site visit linked to broader national infrastructure updates reported earlier on ValidUpdates national news trends. ValidUpdates national news trends
Umahi is the Minister of Works and served as Ebonyi State governor before his current role. He said that in the past many Igbo felt left out of national programmes, and that those feelings once fed separatist calls.
But he said the present government has brought major projects to the southeast and that those works show real inclusion in the nation’s growth plan.
Roads and bridges drive new confidence
Umahi listed several key projects that he said show the renewed focus on the southeast. He said the Enugu to Port Harcourt Expressway now has visible progress on large sections.
He also pointed to the work on the Owerri to Onitsha Expressway as part of a drive to open trade links across states.
He spoke about Section 2B of the Second Niger Bridge as another milestone. The minister said this bridge helps move people and goods more easily between major cities. He said the bridge also shows the federal government’s commitment to durable, long‑term infrastructure.
Another project mentioned by Umahi was the 123‑kilometre road from Ndibe Beach in Ebonyi State to the Benue border. He said this route opens new paths for commerce and travel. He added that contracts and materials have large sums invested in them, running into hundreds of billions.
The minister said the emphasis is now on quality roads that will serve generations. He said the work must meet standards and bring value. He also noted that the focus is on permanent improvements rather than short fixes.
Tinubu praised for southeast focus
Umahi praised President Bola Tinubu for focusing on the southeast region’s infrastructure needs. He said residents now feel more comfortable and happier with the development they see. He pointed out that quality roads bring jobs and ease travel, which lifts local economies.
He also said this progress should change how politics in the southeast is approached. He urged leaders to seek political influence through strategic planning and cooperation with the federal government instead of loud rhetoric. He said unity and clear goals help when pursuing national relevance.
Umahi said the time now favours the southeast region and that people should use this moment well. He said the progress should bring trust and calm, replacing old feelings of unfair treatment.
In response to these remarks, some analysts and local voices point to ongoing regional debates, including views on self‑determination and national unity seen elsewhere.
A recent ValidUpdates daily headlines feed shows ongoing conversations about national integration and local politics in the southeast.ValidUpdates daily headlines feed
Call to move beyond separatist rhetoric
Umahi said that renewed calls for Biafra are now unnecessary because the federal government’s projects are tangible signs of inclusion.
He said when people see real development it reduces the space for calls to break away. He added that infrastructure brings connection and stands against ideas of division.
He said even critics who once argued for separation now see reason in progress. Umahi said this is the moment that many have hoped for as the region gains attention.
He framed this era as part of a broader chance for the southeast to grow within Nigeria’s federal system.
He said that strategy, unity and patience are the keys to political relevance in national affairs. He urged leaders and youths alike to focus on building bridges rather than walls. He said peace and good governance bring more rewards than tension and loud demands.
