Speaking at the Ohanivo 2025 New Yam Festival in Onicha Local Government Area on Saturday, the former Ebonyi governor declared that the South-East has moved beyond what he described as the “Obidient” wave that swept the region in 2023.

“We are not Obidient people. We have been so marginalized that we are no longer Obidient. No, we are not,” Umahi asserted during the cultural event, attended by traditional rulers, political leaders, and community members. 

He argued that the South-East’s prolonged marginalization has shifted political loyalties toward Tinubu, whom he credited with giving the region a renewed “sense of belonging.” 

Umahi emphasized that Ebonyi State, in particular, would not align with Obi’s Labour Party movement, stating, “There is no Obidient person in Ebonyi State.”

Umahi, now a key figure in Tinubu’s cabinet, urged the region to recognize the president’s contributions, particularly in infrastructure and development projects benefiting the South-East. 

“What we have to do is to record the good things that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done for South-East and Ebonyi State when the time comes,” he said. 

Reflecting on the 2023 elections, Umahi described the region’s overwhelming support for Obi as a “mistake,” adding, “We will not be deceived again because we have come to be wiser.”