Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has challenged Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi to a public debate on governance and infrastructure, accusing the former Anambra State governor of repeatedly attacking his integrity and misrepresenting the state of federal road projects.
The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has challenged NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi to a public debate over infrastructure development, saying the former Anambra governor has consistently attacked his integrity and personality instead of engaging with facts. Umahi made the remarks during the flag-off of the Akwanga–Jos section of the Superhighway project, where he defended the Federal Government’s road construction programme.
Umahi accused Obi of attempting to score political points by highlighting only deteriorated portions of federal roads on social media while ignoring ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction works across the country.
According to the minister, governance should not be reduced to “comedy” or selective presentation of facts, insisting that infrastructure projects should be assessed objectively based on available records and ongoing work. He challenged Obi to a public debate where both leaders could present their respective achievements in office.
The exchange comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to intensify, with leading political figures increasingly scrutinising one another’s records in government.
Umahi maintained that the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure investments can withstand public scrutiny and argued that citizens deserve factual information rather than politically motivated narratives.
The minister said he remains prepared to publicly defend the performance of the Ministry of Works and compare his record with that of Peter Obi as a former governor.
He also urged Nigerians to evaluate political leaders based on measurable achievements rather than social media campaigns or isolated images circulating online.
Umahi’s challenge adds another chapter to the growing political exchanges ahead of the 2027 elections, with infrastructure and governance increasingly emerging as key campaign issues. It remains unclear whether Peter Obi will respond to the invitation for a public debate.