Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu refused to bow to pressure to sack him following the controversial death of one of his staff members, insisting instead that he should return to work and keep delivering roads.
Umahi made the explosive revelation during a recent public speech now making the rounds on social media.
Referring to the death of a “young lady” believed to be Mary Habila, a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW), the minister accused critics of turning the tragedy into a political weapon against him.
“Power and might do not belong to social media; they belong to God,” Umahi declared.
He said some people rushed to demand his dismissal after the staff member died, but Tinubu rejected the calls outright.
“They told the President to sack me. Sack me for what? Because somebody working with me died?” Umahi asked.
According to him, Tinubu’s response stunned his critics.
“The President told me, ‘Dave, go and build more roads,'” he recounted.
Umahi also disclosed that the death of the staff member, along with the sudden death of one of his uncles who reportedly collapsed after watching a football match, forced him to cancel celebrations for his birthday.
“We were mourning, so I said there would be no celebration,” he explained.
The minister, however, lashed out at those he accused of exploiting the incident for political gain, insisting neither he nor any member of his family had a hand in the woman’s death.
He added that if the allegations against him were true, he and his family deserved an even worse fate. But if they were false, he prayed that those spreading them would face severe consequences.
Mary Habila died on June 27, 2026, under controversial circumstances at Umahi’s residence in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Her death has continued to spark public outrage and calls for accountability.
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