The Association of Ebonyi Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID) has given Works Minister David Umahi 72 hours to retract his comments on the 2027 elections and apologise to Peter Obi, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii and the Igbo community.
The group warned that it could take legal action against Umahi if he failed to comply with its demand, accusing the minister of making statements capable of deepening political divisions in Ebonyi State and the wider South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
AEISCID made its position known in a statement dated October 12, 2026, signed by its Worldwide President, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu.
The association’s reaction followed a viral video in which Umahi reportedly defended his opposition to Obi’s presidential ambition and insisted that Ebonyi people should not be treated as second-class citizens within Igboland.
In the video, Umahi reportedly criticised those attacking him for declaring that he would not support Obi’s presidential bid and for encouraging his supporters to do the same.
The minister was also quoted as questioning Obi’s relationship with Ebonyi State, alleging that the former Anambra State governor did not appoint any Ebonyi indigene to his administration while in office.
Umahi further argued that political positions should be distributed in line with zoning arrangements. He maintained that it was not yet the South-East’s turn to produce Nigeria’s president or Ebonyi South Senatorial District’s turn to produce the next governor of Ebonyi State.
The minister reportedly said he would engage the Ebonyi State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, on the zoning issue and ask him to withdraw from the race.
According to the reported remarks, Umahi insisted that political opportunities should follow a turn-by-turn arrangement.
Reacting, AEISCID described the comments as divisive and inappropriate for a public officeholder, arguing that political disagreements should not be allowed to create hostility between Ebonyi people and other Igbo communities.
The group maintained that Obi and other politicians had constitutional rights to contest elections and that political competition should be guided by democratic principles rather than personal or political interests.
The Ebonyi socio-cultural association also questioned Umahi’s electoral performance during the 2023 general elections.
It alleged that the minister, who was governor of Ebonyi State from 2015 to 2023, failed to deliver his polling unit and ward to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the presidential election.
The statement further claimed that Umahi lost his senatorial election in his home area, alleging that voters rejected him because of his style of governance. These assertions were made by the association and were not independently established in the statement.
AEISCID also accused Umahi of using the zoning debate to influence the 2027 Ebonyi governorship election and preserve his political influence in the state.
The group questioned his position on zoning, recalling that he contested the 2015 governorship election despite the emergence of Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, a former Minister of Health from Ebonyi South, as a potential successor to then-governor Martin Elechi.
According to AEISCID, Umahi’s current position appeared intended to protect Governor Francis Nwifuru, whom the association described as his political ally, and prevent Odii from challenging the existing political arrangement.
The association also criticised the Nwifuru administration, alleging that it had failed to deliver significant development projects across Ebonyi State. However, the statement did not provide specific evidence or data to substantiate the claim.
The group urged Ebonyi residents to make independent political decisions and elect their preferred candidates in 2027, stressing that the electorate should determine who governs the state.
It also called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to intervene, urging members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to promote peace, unity and mutual respect among Nigerians despite their political differences.
AEISCID argued that Umahi’s position as a member of the federal cabinet placed a responsibility on him to encourage peaceful political engagement rather than make statements the group considered divisive.
The association warned that inflammatory political exchanges could worsen tensions as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
It therefore demanded that Umahi withdraw his reported remarks and apologise to Peter Obi, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, the people of Ebonyi State and the wider Igbo community within 72 hours.
The group reiterated that failure to meet the deadline could lead to legal action against the Minister of Works.
The controversy adds to the political debate surrounding zoning, party loyalty and the race for the Ebonyi governorship ahead of the 2027 elections.
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