Nigeria Minister Umahi denies Peter Obi threat claims

Minister of Works David Umahi has publicly dismissed claims by opposition figure Peter Obi that his life is under threat, while escalating a political dispute over Obi's record and the government's performance. Umahi, speaking during project inspections in Ebonyi State on July -10 and July -11, asserted that no one wishes harm upon the former Anambra State governor and that Obi would be alive to contest the 2027 presidential election only to lose again.

The exchange stems from recent comments by Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, who alleged in an interview that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was deliberately obstructing his livelihood and targeting opposition figures. Obi suggested he could be prevented from being alive before the 2027 election and cited an incident at the Abuja airport where his vehicle was clamped as evidence of harassment.

Umahi rejected these allegations as unreasonable and unfounded. He described Obi's fears as a sign of frustration, arguing they stem from the opposition figure's belief that the South East region remains his political stronghold following the 2023 election, a result Umahi called an "accident of...