By Sabiu Abdullahi
Minister of Works David Umahi has said President Bola Tinubu refused to bow to pressure from those who demanded his dismissal after the death of Mary Habila, a nurse attached to his medical team.
Umahi made the disclosure in a video that surfaced on X on Monday. He said the president instead encouraged him to remain focused on delivering infrastructure projects across the country.
“Power and might don’t belong to social media, it belongs to God,” Umahi said.
“When people took the death of one of my staff and started playing politics with it, they said the president should sack me, but the president surprised all of them and said, ‘Dave, go and build more roads.’”
Habila died on June 27 at Umahi’s residence in Ebonyi State. Her death attracted widespread public attention. Some Nigerians demanded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Incorporated Trustees of the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ United Associations (SOKAPU) later instituted a ₦20 billion lawsuit against the minister. The group alleged a breach of duty of care while the deceased was under his custody.
Umahi said he was deeply saddened by Habila’s death. He explained that he cancelled plans for celebrations during his recent birthday out of respect for the deceased.
He said he instructed his supporters across the world not to organise any birthday activities because he was “mourning”.
The minister also prayed that if he or any member of his family played any role in Habila’s death, they should face a worse fate than she did.
Following the incident, Umahi requested that the Ebonyi State Police Command conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of Habila’s death. He also asked that her body should not be released until the post-mortem examination was completed.
However, members of Habila’s family declined the request. They insisted that no autopsy should be carried out and demanded that she be buried in accordance with their wishes.
