Cubana Chief Priest calls Umahi 'Pharaoh,' seeks proof of South-East projects

Socialite Pascal Okechukwu, widely known as Cubana Chief Priest, has escalated a public dispute with the Minister of Works, David Umahi, calling him a "Pharaoh" and asking him to demonstrate what infrastructure work has been completed in the South-East. The row follows comments Chief Priest made in October, when he accused Umahi of failing to bring meaningful development to the region despite holding the works portfolio. He described Umahi as the "second-worst minister" the South-East has ever produced and urged President Bola Tinubu to replace ministers who were not effective. At a political gathering over the weekend, Umahi appeared to respond to the socialite by criticizing a culture of noise-making and public displays of wealth. The minister argued that genuine wealth is shown through achievements rather than boasting, saying that money does not need to shout to prove itself. "We are becoming very noisy. Money na water. How much do you have? Have you ever seen Dangote or Otedola saying that I have money? Money speaks for itself," Umahi said. Chief Priest replied on social media, challenging Umahi to identify projects he has delivered in the South-East and accusing him of making political promises that had not been fulfilled. He also questioned what he described as Umahi's political plans for his son, warning against turning governance into a family business, and criticized what he called the slow pace of development in Ebonyi State and the wider region. "Pharaoh, let our people go, honorable Minister of Works; Pharaoh, let the people of the Southeast go," he said.