The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has faulted socialite Cubana Chief Priest for describing the Minister of Works, David Umahi, as the South-East’s second-worst minister and calling on President Bola Tinubu to replace ministers he considers ineffective.
The criticism, reportedly made in an Instagram post, was reported by online media outlets on Sunday.
In the reported post, Cubana Chief Priest argued that the South-East had little to show for having one of its own as Minister of Works and urged Tinubu to replace ministers he considered failures.
However, NANS, in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, defended Umahi’s performance, describing him as one of the best ministers from the South-East.
The student body cited the minister’s contributions to infrastructure development, particularly the adoption and expansion of concrete pavement technology in road construction.
“Cubana Chief Priest is free to support whoever he wishes to support in the next election, but that should not be an excuse to run down a performing Minister,” the statement said.
NANS said its recent nationwide inspection of federal road projects, particularly those leading to tertiary institutions, had given it firsthand insight into infrastructure development across the country.
According to the association, the minister’s approach to road construction, including the use of concrete pavement, had contributed to raising the standard of infrastructure delivery.
The association also linked the criticism to Umahi’s support for Tinubu and the Renewed Hope administration, describing him as one of the prominent political voices from the South-East backing the President.
It urged Tinubu not to be swayed by what it described as attempts to discredit the minister, maintaining that his contributions to road construction and rehabilitation across the country were evident.
NANS further challenged Cubana Chief Priest to verify his claims before making public statements about the minister’s performance.
The association maintained that Umahi had distinguished himself in the Ministry of Works and urged the President to continue supporting him.
