David Nweze Umahi CON, a Nigerian politician and current minister of works was born on July 25, 1963. Prior to that, he was the deputy governor from 2011 to 2015 and the governor of Ebonyi State from 2015 to 2023. He also previously held the offices of senator for the Ebonyi South Senatorial District between June and August 2023.
Following his nomination, screening, and approval by the senate, President Bola Tinubu appointed him as minister of works on August 16, 2023. On August 21, 2023, he took his oath of office as minister of works.
Umahi’s Early age and education
Umahi was born 25 July 1964. He is the son of Elder Joseph Umahi Nwaze and Margaret Umahi of Umunaga, Uburu in the former Ohaozara Local Government Area and present-day Ebonyi State.
Umahi received his secondary education from Ishiagu High School and the Government Secondary School of Afikpo before entering the Enugu State University of Science and Technology in 1982 and later received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the university in 1987.
He was a founding partner of Norman Engineering and Construction Nig in 1990 with Ombo Isokarari and served as its general manager up until 1993.
He presided over Brass Engineering and Construction Nig Ltd. as chairman and CEO from 2004 to 2011, focus investment nig.Ltd together with Osborn La Palm Royal Resort Ltd.
He is from a home of nine comprising two females and seven males, including Major-General Obi Abel Umahi (Rtd.), the former chairman of the South-East Security Committee, Ebubeagu but resigned in May 2021. Roy Umahi Nwaeze, a legal practitioner, Austin Umahi Nweze who was the former south east vice chairman of the People’s Democratic Party.
Political Career
Umahi started working in government in 2007 when he was appointed acting chairman of the PDP’s Ebonyi State branch. He was the party’s state chairman from 2009 to 2011. He chaired the Federal Medical Center in Asaba’s governing board for a year during that time.
On a ticket with the then-Governor Martin Elechi, Umahi was elected as the deputy governor of Ebonyi State in 2011. However, in 2014, Governor Elechi backed Onyebuchi Chukwu as his replacement, which Umahi claimed went against the understanding that he would fill that position.
Umahi defeated Chukwu in the primary elections. After an arson attack on the House of Assembly in February 2015, motions to impeach Elechi over allegations of gross misconduct, financial misappropriation, and anti-party activity were filed later that month. The remainder of Elechi’s term was chaotic.
On April 12, 2015, Umahi won the election for governor despite opposition from the Labour Party, the All Progressives Congress, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance due to “widespread irregularities, killings, and wanton destruction of property.” By the Governorship Election Tribunal in October 2015, the election’s legitimacy had been confirmed.
Umahi won re-election as governor of Ebonyi state in the election that took place on March 16. He received 393,343 votes, beating out APC candidate Sonny Ogbuoji, who received 81,703 votes.
Just days after the announcement of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a prominent member of the APC, Umahi announced on January 11, 2022 that he intended to run for the office of President of Nigeria in the general elections of 2023. Umahi had consulted President Muhammadu Buhari before making this announcement.
This contradicts his earlier declaration he made after joining the APC, that he would leave politics after serving as governor.
Umahi and his deputy Eric Kelechi Igwe were both removed from their positions as governor and deputy governor of Ebonyi State on March 8, 2022, by the Federal High Court in Abuja for joining the All Progressives Congress while still in office.
The State High Court gave Umahi and his deputy Eric Kelechi Igwe an interim appointment of seven days on March 11, 2022.
On April 1, 2022, The Court of Appeal in Enugu State confirmed Umahi as Governor of Ebonyi State, stating that his defection to the APC was immoral but not unconstitutional and upholding an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Ebonyi.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, however, disqualified Umahi on different grounds than the Federal High Court in Ebonyi. The Federal High Court’s decision is currently being appealed, but the Abuja Court of Appeal has not yet heard it.
Corruption Allegation
According to a Peoples Gazette article from January 29, 2021, Umahi transferred more than $3.06 billion in government funds to his business, Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited, during his time as governor and deputy governor. According to bank records, Umahi received payments beginning in 2011, when Martin Elechi appointed him deputy governor, and they continued during his tenure as governor.
Umahi and a supporter then demanded a retraction and $1 billion in “atonement” from the People’s Gazette after threatening reporters over the phone and having the website for the publication blocked. After the newspaper stood by its report, Umahi filed a defamation lawsuit against the Peoples Gazette and sought $2 billion in damages.
