Umahi Reopens First Niger Bridge After Rehabilitation, Tinubu’s Pictures Displayed

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has reopened the First Niger Bridge linking Onitsha in Anambra State with Asaba in Delta State following the completion of rehabilitation and maintenance works.

The bridge was reopened on Thursday, October 15, 2026, after being closed to traffic on September 7 for emergency repairs. The rehabilitation was initially scheduled to be completed on September 21 but was extended due to persistent rainfall and other unforeseen circumstances.

The 61-year-old bridge, constructed in 1965, was shut after the discovery of vandalised structural components, including steelwork around its expansion joints.

At the reopening ceremony, photographs of President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima and Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo were displayed on the bridge, alongside All Progressives Congress (APC) banners attached to its railings.

Some sections of the bridge railings had been repainted, while workers were still carrying out finishing touches. Road markings had also been renewed, and closed-circuit television cameras were installed at various points.

Speaking at the event, Umahi commended the Tinubu administration for its commitment to infrastructure development in the South-East and South-South regions.

He said the attention being given to the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos was comparable to rehabilitation and maintenance projects being undertaken on the Second Niger Bridge and other major bridges across the country.

According to the minister, the Federal Government would continue to extend infrastructure development projects to different parts of the South-East, including Anambra State.

Umahi disclosed that Tinubu had approved the dualisation of the Oba-Okigwe Expressway, urging residents of the region to recognise the administration’s infrastructure initiatives.

“Democracy is about development and infrastructure. We are here to demonstrate that the South-East is for President Tinubu,” he said.

The minister also expressed confidence that the South-East would support Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, acknowledging that the region did not overwhelmingly vote for the President in 2023.

He attributed the outcome partly to what he described as the unfavourable treatment of the region under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Umahi further criticised the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the Obidient Movement, questioning whether they could provide an alternative to Tinubu’s administration.

“I am not into regional politics; I am following who is performing. Can anybody give us the alternative to Tinubu, President Tinubu, who has salvaged the country from a catastrophic situation? Can Peter Obi do what Tinubu is doing?” he asked.

The minister also warned against the unauthorised placement of billboards and advertisements on federal highways, insisting that individuals and groups must obtain the necessary approvals.

“No one has the right to put billboards on the federal highways. Tell Peter Obi and the Obidient Movement that if they pay, they will be allowed to put their billboards on the highways,” Umahi said.

The display of Tinubu’s photographs on the bridge followed an earlier directive by the minister during an inspection of the facility. Umahi had instructed officials to remove illegal advertisements and display the President’s photographs after the rehabilitation was completed.

He said the gesture was intended to acknowledge what he described as Tinubu’s contributions to infrastructure development in the South-East.