The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed the chances of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that he cannot defeat President Bola Tinubu at the polls.
Umahi said neither the President nor members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were intimidated by Obi, whom he accused of playing what he described as “Artificial Intelligence (AI) politics.”
The minister made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on The Morning Show, a programme aired on Arise Television.
According to him, Obi lacks the political strength to challenge President Tinubu, boasting that he could personally defeat the former Anambra State governor in an election.
“Peter Obi is playing AI politics. Nobody is scared of him.
“As governor, Obi invested money in a bank while owing contractors. Even the education sector during his time was built around special centres.
“Obi cannot even face me, talk more of facing President Bola Tinubu,” Umahi said.
The Minister also criticised Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, alleging that his administration failed to make significant investments in critical sectors such as healthcare, road infrastructure and aviation.
Umahi argued that Obi’s performance in office did not justify his current political ambitions, adding that he would have resigned if he had recorded similar outcomes.
The latest remarks come amid increasing political exchanges between both men ahead of the 2027 general election.
Last week, Umahi accused Obi of consistently attacking his integrity and personality while questioning his understanding of governance.
Speaking during the flag-off of the construction of the Akwanga-Jos Superhighway, the minister alleged that Obi resorted to social media criticism instead of appreciating ongoing infrastructure projects.
He claimed the former governor deliberately photographed a bad section of the road and shared the images online to score political points.
Umahi subsequently challenged Obi to a public debate on governance and infrastructure development, insisting that his administration’s record in the works sector would stand up to scrutiny.