By Rt. Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie,FCA
During a recent ministerial press briefing in Abuja, Nigeria’s Minister of Works and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Engineer David Nweze Umahi, CON, took an unwarranted swipe at the Labour Party – LP Nigeria and the #ObidientMovement, branding them as “disobedient” and “very insubordinate.”
It is both ironic and disturbing that a man whose own record in public office is deeply steeped in autocracy, financial recklessness, and disregard for democratic norms now seeks to paint a youthful movement of hope and civic engagement as unruly.
In doing so, he revealed not only his disdain for democratic opposition but also his fear—palpable and personal—of a movement that has become the conscience of Nigeria’s political future.
As someone who has witnessed, suffered and endured the full extent of Umahi’s highhandedness as Governor of Ebonyi State, I am compelled to respond, not only to defend the principle of opposition in democracy but to unmask the falsehood behind his public posturing.
The Hypocrisy of a Political Chameleon
Let us begin with the obvious contradiction. Minister Umahi was once a PDP governor before defecting to the APC under questionable circumstances, a move driven by personal ambition rather than ideological conviction. That same man now accuses others of disloyalty and indiscipline? This is not conviction, it is convenience. If political inconsistency is a symptom of disobedience, then Umahi should be its poster child.
A Record of Recklessness, Not Discipline
David Umahi governed Ebonyi State like a personal estate. His tenure was defined by highhandedness, suppression of dissent, abuse of office and a disturbing penchant for investing state resources in ornamental white elephants rather than sustainable development. Projects like multiple flyovers in zero-to-low-traffic zones, vanity shopping malls/ecumenical centre, ornamental water fountains, and an extravagant uncompleted airport were executed at enormous cost with little public value. These expenditures drained the state’s finances while schools, hospitals, and youth employment programs languished in abject neglect.
Contracts were awarded without transparency or competitive bidding, often to relations and proxies. Governance was conducted without consultation or due process. To now posture as a champion of “discipline” is to rewrite history with a straight face; one that the people of Ebonyi and Nigeria remember all too well.
The Fear Behind the Outburst
What Umahi failed to mention at the press briefing, but what undergirds his bitter remarks, is the fact that he flatly lost the 2023 senatorial election in Ebonyi South to the Labour Party, the Obidient Movement and Mr. Peter Obi. Not only did he lose in the general election, but he also suffered humiliation in his very own polling unit; a clear indication of his rejection by his immediate constituents.
That he was later declared “winner” through controversial and widely questioned manipulations does not erase the political message sent by the people of Ebonyi South: they have moved on. His present outburst is less a show of strength and more a public expression of fear and trepidation at what the emergent Obidient Movement represents; not just to him, but to the entire political establishment heading into 2027.
Demonizing Dissent, Distorting Democracy
The Labour Party and the Obidient Movement are not “disobedient.” They are disillusioned but determined Nigerians, mostly young, educated, and engaged. They demand transparency, competence, credibility and accountability. They reject the culture of impunity that politicians like Umahi normalized. To label such a movement as insubordinate is to equate democracy with dictatorship, opposition with disloyalty, and civic awareness with chaos.
Umahi’s intolerance for dissent and criticism, hallmarks of his gubernatorial rule, is once again rearing its head in his federal appointment. But Nigerians, especially the youth, are not fooled. They know that public office is not a license for propaganda, nor is a ministerial podium a pulpit for political vendettas.
Misplaced Praise, Misguided Claims
At the same briefing, Umahi went on to lavish praise on the Tinubu administration, declaring that GDP is growing, inflation is dropping, and that Nigeria no longer owes the World Bank. These claims, while politically convenient, are completely out of sync with the daily realities of Nigerians. Prices are still soaring, the naira is unstable, and unemployment remains a critical issue while the nation’s debt stock has ballooned to nearly N150 trillion. Empty platitudes cannot substitute for real progress.
If Umahi wishes to be remembered for discipline, he must start by acknowledging economic truth and embracing political humility, two qualities currently absent from his public conduct.
Conclusion: 2027 Is Coming, and the Youth Are Watching
David Umahi’s attack on the Obidient Movement is not just a case of bad judgment; it is a strategic miscalculation. He has inadvertently confirmed what many already know: that this movement is not a fluke, but a formidable force. That it commands loyalty not by coercion but by credibility. That its ascendancy is a threat not because it is chaotic, but because it is clear-eyed, organized, and committed to a better Nigeria.
The youth will not be silenced. They will not be lectured into submission. They will organize, mobilize, and vote. And no amount of ministerial grandstanding can stop the tide of a people who have found their voice.
Rt Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie,FCA, is a former Member of the House of Representatives, a voice for youth inclusion, and an advocate for transparent governance and democratic integrity.