The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu declined calls for his dismissal following the death of a nurse, Mary Habila, at his residence in Ebonyi State.

Habila, who was attached to the minister’s medical team, died on June 27, sparking widespread public concern and calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Amid the growing outrage, the Incorporated Trustees of the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ United Associations (SOKAPU) instituted a ₦20 billion lawsuit against the minister, alleging a breach of duty of care while the deceased was under his supervision.

Speaking in a video circulating on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Umahi disclosed that several individuals had urged the president to remove him from office over the incident. However, Tinubu reportedly dismissed the calls and instead encouraged him to remain focused on national infrastructure development.

“Power and might don’t belong to social media; they belong to God,” Umahi stated. “When people politicised the death of one of my staff and called for my sack, the president surprised them and said, ‘Dave, go and build more roads.’”

The minister expressed deep sorrow over the nurse’s death, noting that he cancelled any form of celebration for his recent birthday as a mark of respect.

He also offered prayers, saying that if he or any member of his family had any involvement in Habila’s death, they should face a worse fate.

Umahi further disclosed that he had directed the Ebonyi State Police Command to carry out an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. He instructed that the body should not be released until the post-mortem examination was concluded.

However, the deceased’s family opposed the request, insisting on burying their loved one according to their wishes without an autopsy.

The incident continues to generate public attention, with many Nigerians calling for transparency and accountability in the investigation.