The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has ordered the temporary closure of the Old Niger Bridge to allow for major rehabilitation and installation of critical infrastructure.
Umahi announced the directive on Friday, August 28, 2026, while speaking at the Ogbunike Interchange linking Anambra State to the Second Niger Bridge, saying the closure would commence seven days from the announcement, with motorists diverted to the Second Niger Bridge.
According to the minister, the intervention will involve the installation of solar-powered streetlights and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, as part of efforts to restore the bridge to a modern standard.
“Seven days from today (Friday), we are going to close the first Niger Bridge and traffic will be diverted to the second Niger Bridge so that we can install the solar lights and the CCTV.
“We will restore the first Niger Bridge to the same quality as the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. That is the message and directive of Mr President,” Umahi said.
The minister also used the occasion to appeal to residents of the South-East to acknowledge the infrastructure projects being executed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the region, while continuing to demand more development.
Umahi expressed concern over what he described as frequent complaints of marginalisation by some content creators in the South-East, particularly whenever challenges arise in the region.
He questioned the basis of such criticisms, noting that previous administrations, in his assessment, did not undertake infrastructure projects of comparable scale in the region.
The former Ebonyi State governor consequently urged residents of the South-East to support Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that continuity would ensure that ongoing projects receive further attention.
“South-East people must vote for the president in 2027. If they are insulting me, it is not my business because they can’t face me face to face. So it makes me happy that I am taking the attention of those insulting me. But the truth remains the truth,” he said.
Umahi added: “Vote for President Tinubu so that these dividends of democracy will continue, even in improved form, after the election.
“Let it not be that when other people are voting, the people of the South-East will be playing football and tomorrow we will start to complain. It is not acceptable.”
The minister, who previously served as governor of Ebonyi State, said the South-East was witnessing an unprecedented level of federal road infrastructure development under the Tinubu administration.
“I was a governor, a deputy governor and party chairman, and never in the history of the South-East did we witness even five per cent of what we are witnessing now. All our roads are being fixed and we are taking them for granted,” he said.
Umahi said the 2027 election would provide an opportunity for the people of the region to demonstrate their appreciation for the Federal Government’s interventions, urging them to prioritise mutual interests over regional sentiments.
“Our votes will not make our brother president and if you are insulting me because of our brother, you are wasting time because we are friends.
“I am telling him to support the president because he cannot win. When our time comes, other people will support us. We will not play regional politics and politics of hate and sentiment,” Umahi said.
He expressed confidence in Tinubu’s victory in the 2027 presidential election, noting that political forces backing the President were already working together in Anambra State.
The minister also thanked the President for what he described as significant interventions in the South-East, saying the projects had helped restore the region’s prominence within the country.
Umahi further assured contractors handling Federal Government projects that outstanding certificates for completed works would soon be settled.
