Nigeria’s Minister of Works and former Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has praised President Bola Tinubu for bringing religious groups and ethnic communities together like never before.
He shared his thoughts during the 2025 Sallah celebration for Muslims in Ebonyi State. Umahi said President Tinubu’s government has shown great leadership in including people from all backgrounds—both religious and ethnic.
Umahi pointed to an important moment: when President Tinubu led a Nigerian team to attend the Pope’s inauguration. He said many Christians were touched by this act and saw it as a strong message of respect for all religions.
He stressed that all religions are based on love, and urged Nigerians to stop focusing on their differences. Instead, he said, they should focus on the things they have in common.
“Muslims and Christians both believe in loving others and fearing God,” he said.
Umahi also addressed past criticism about the Muslim-Muslim ticket during the presidential election. He said that if you look at how government roles have been shared, it shows fairness. He mentioned that Christians hold about 62% of key appointments, while Muslims hold 38%, which shows religious balance.
He praised the growing relationship between Muslims and Christians in the Southeast. He said even when Christian leaders got late notice about the Sallah event, many still showed up to support their Muslim brothers and sisters. This, he said, is real unity.
Umahi then talked about federal projects in the Southeast. He said President Tinubu has changed things. Before now, many states in the Southeast didn’t have any federal projects. But now, that is changing, and federal presence is visible in the region.
He also appreciated Tinubu for appointing people from the Southeast to top government positions. These include himself as Minister of Works, the Chief of Naval Staff, and the Minister of Science and Technology. He said these are signs that the Southeast is becoming more involved in national matters.
Umahi admitted that the region had lost some political ground in the past. But he said the current government is bringing them back into the system, and they should support that effort.
He advised Southeast residents to avoid divisive stories and instead work with the federal government. He said reintegration is better than isolation, and this is a chance the region shouldn’t waste.
Umahi reaffirmed his support for Tinubu. He said the President has been strongly backing the Ministry of Works, which shows he cares deeply about Nigeria’s progress.
“If you betray a man like that, you are betraying God and Nigeria,” Umahi said, adding that he serves both God and the President with honesty.
Muslim leaders in Ebonyi, like Sariki Danjuma Gambo and Salis Mohammed, agreed with Umahi. They thanked everyone for the peaceful celebration and promised to keep supporting President Tinubu.
