Why I Named Some Infrastructural Projects After Buhari, My Mother– Umahi

Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has explained why he named some infrastructure projects in the state after President Muhammadu Buhari and his (Umahi’s) mother.

The governor gave the explanation on Friday during an interview on Arise TV

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday went on a two-day working visit to commission different projects built by the Ebonyi governor.

Some of the 20 infrastructure constructed by Umahi are: the King David University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, a twin flyover, 12-kilometre dualised federal road, from Mbu, Enugu State to Uburu, the university building and the university medical hospital, facilities and equipment.

Also are the Presidential Lodge at the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport; St Margaret Umahi International Market complex; a 750-metre length twin-flyover near the market and the Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Lodge.

But the naming of some of these projects, particularly King David University, St Margaret Umahi International Market complex and the airport after himself, his mother and president Buhari have been criticized.

“I think the problem of our country is not the problem of naming projects. If we can honestly have Nigerians build as many projects as they can to name it after themselves, that is not what the country is averse to. The country wants infrastructure,” Umahi told the local media.

He clarified that the University named ‘King David’ should have been named ‘David Umahi Medical University’ based on the recommendations of the Nigerian Universities Commission and the State House of Assembly.

He said, “But let me clarify that King David is King David, anybody that answers King David. My name is not King David. Let me give you the shocking news that when that name was sent to the House of Assembly, they refused it and totally said this name should be called David Umahi Medical University.

“So I had to send it back to them and to say look, I just simply want a more beautiful name and a straightforward name and that should be King David Medical University and when it got to NUC, NUC said no, that University should be called David Umahi Medical University.”

Umahi also explained how the members of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly chose to name the market constructed by him after his mother.

He explained, “So, what is the blame there even if it is named after me? The important thing is that the project is there, the name does not matter and then the international market is the making of the House of Assembly. They did that to immortalise my mother and they will not say that my mother has not contributed to nation building.

“She was a saint and that is the ingenuity of the House of Assembly. It is not an import of my own making and then you can’t blame me for naming a project after a good heart who has helped all the states.

“I have no regrets and I will not repent naming the airport and the light tunnel after the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buahri and I’m not the first to do this and I will want to do more before I leave office.”