Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has challenged Peter Obi to a public debate following the former Anambra State governor’s criticism of the Federal Government’s road infrastructure priorities.
Responding to Obi’s recent comments, Umahi accused the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) of attacking his integrity and reducing governance to “comedy.”
“I saw his social media when he got to a point where the road was bad, and he snapped it. When did governance reduce to comedy? He was attacking my integrity and personality. I’m always ready to debate with him,” Umahi said.
Umahi’s remarks followed a statement by Obi urging the Federal Government to prioritise the rehabilitation and maintenance of existing roads instead of embarking on new road construction projects.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Obi argued that many of Nigeria’s major highways have deteriorated significantly, causing hardship for commuters, businesses and transport operators. He maintained that available resources should be channelled towards restoring existing roads to motorable condition before new projects are announced.
The former Anambra State governor cited the Asaba–Benin Road as one of the highways requiring urgent attention, describing it as a critical transport corridor linking several states in the South-East, South-South and North-Central regions to Lagos.
He said the road’s poor condition has led to persistent traffic congestion and disrupted commercial activities.
“Our efforts should be directed towards the reconstruction and maintenance of our current road infrastructure before we announce plans for new road projects.
The Nigerian populace requires functional and motorable roads, not merely projects that garner public attention,” Obi said.
He added that projects driven by political visibility should not take precedence over the rehabilitation of existing road infrastructure, insisting that restoring critical highways would have a more immediate and meaningful impact on the lives of Nigerians.
I saw his social media when he got to a point where the road was bad, and he snapped it. When did governance reduce to comedy? He was attacking my integrity and personality. I’m always ready to debate with him.
– Dave Umahi, replied Peter Obi and challenges him to a debate. pic.twitter.com/ZnsxEe0xGC
— Imran Muhammad (@Imranmuhdz) July 1, 2026
