“Umahi has completed many roads projects in Ebonyi, but hasn’t done any road in the North” — Ali Modu Sheriff 

“Umahi has completed many roads projects in Ebonyi, but hasn’t done any road in the North” — Ali Modu Sheriff

Former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has taken a swipe at the Minister of Works and Housing, Senator David Umahi, accusing him of neglecting road infrastructure development in northern Nigeria while focusing extensively on his home state, Ebonyi.

Speaking during a recent interview with Channels Television, Sheriff alleged that despite repeated promises to address urgent road repairs in the North, Umahi has failed to take meaningful action.

He cited the lingering case of a flood-damaged highway in Bauchi State as a glaring example of abandonment.

“Last year around this time, there was a flood in Bauchi State that cut a major road into two,” Sheriff recounted. “People had to drive over 300 kilometers to reach their destinations. Umahi told Nigerians then that President Tinubu had directed him to fix the road immediately—but up to now, nothing has been done.”

Sheriff expressed dismay that, despite the clear presidential directive, the road remains impassable.

“Just two weeks ago, I was driving to Bauchi and ended up in Jigawa because that road is still not fixed,” he said. “Rainy season has started again, and soon the people will blame the president, even though it’s the minister who failed to act.”

The former governor didn’t hold back in contrasting Umahi’s track record in the North with his achievements in the South-East.

“Umahi has completed many road projects in Ebonyi, but he hasn’t done any in the North. Ebonyi is not Lagos. If you are appointed as Minister of Works, you should serve the entire country, not just your state,” he stated.

Sheriff accused the minister of shirking his national responsibilities, warning that such selective performance reflects poorly on President Tinubu’s administration.

“These are the kinds of people making President Tinubu look bad. They’ve been entrusted with responsibility but are not delivering,” he said.

On the political landscape, Sheriff also dismissed the viability of emerging opposition coalitions ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to him, internal rivalry among opposition leaders will lead to the collapse of any alliance.

“These coalitions will disintegrate within three months. Everyone wants to be president. Once ambitions start clashing, there’ll be no unity left,” he predicted.

Sheriff concluded by expressing confidence in President Tinubu’s re-election prospects, stating that only the president himself can stop his victory in 2027.

“Unless President Tinubu decides not to run, no one can defeat him in the next election,” he declared.

The comments have added fuel to ongoing debates around federal project distribution and the political future of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the next electoral cycle.