By Seyi Odewale
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has showered praise on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Nweze Umahi, for the administration’s strides in infrastructure development—particularly the commencement of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
In a strongly worded press release issued on Sunday, the organisation described Senator Umahi as a shining symbol of excellence in governance, attributing many of the administration’s tangible achievements to his “vision, administrative acumen, and steadfast commitment to project delivery.”
The group noted that Umahi’s performance has given Nigerians a glimpse of what a cabinet filled with capable and driven individuals could achieve.
“If Tinubu’s cabinet had five or six individuals of Senator Umahi’s calibre in key sectors like power, economy, agriculture, health, security, and petroleum resources, Nigeria would undoubtedly be on par with or rivalling emerging global economies such as India, Singapore, Japan, Morocco, South Africa, and Turkey,” said Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Ohanaeze commended the recently commissioned infrastructure projects under the Tinubu administration, describing them as “milestones of progress.”
However, the group stressed that the success witnessed in the Works Ministry underscores the urgent need for competent and visionary figures in other critical areas of governance.
“This is a bitter but necessary truth,” the statement read. “The Tinubu administration must broaden the scope of its leadership team and consider injecting more technocratic excellence into the federal cabinet. Leaders like Umahi are rare but crucial to the national revival the Renewed Hope Agenda promises.”
The organisation further urged President Tinubu to seize the opportunity of the upcoming June 12 Democracy Day to recalibrate his administration by appointing more result-driven individuals into strategic roles.
It also advised the President to cultivate a deeper relationship with the Igbo nation through inclusive governance and equitable distribution of developmental initiatives.
“The Igbos, present in all 774 Local Government Areas across Nigeria, remain a formidable force for national cohesion and progress. By engaging this resilient and industrious community through sound policies and infrastructural integration, Tinubu can solidify support that transcends ethnic and regional divides,” Isiguzoro emphasised.
Ohanaeze concluded with a call for strategic, timely, and inclusive decisions, asserting that the future of a united and prosperous Nigeria lies in embracing competent leadership and fostering collaborative governance.
“Senator Umahi exemplifies what Nigeria needs more of—innovative minds committed to nation-building. President Tinubu must take heed and replicate this success across other ministries if Nigeria is to reach its full potential,” the group asserted.
