JUST IN: It’s A Highway To Fraud- Atiku Reacts To Tinubu’s N15.6 Trn Project

Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has knocked a major project by President Bola Tinubu government.

Atiku reiterated his stance on the Lagos-Calabar Highway Project, emphasizing the lack of due process in its award.

“The award of the Lagos-Calabar Highway Project did not meet the minimum threshold of due process,” Atiku insisted.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, announced the commencement of construction on the 700km road after Federal Executive Council approval.

While Atiku claimed the project regained public attention during the final phases of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, the Presidency countered, labelling it a “misrepresentation of facts.” The Presidency argued that the project was initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Atiku challenged the Federal Government to disclose the total cost of the project, prompting Umahi to disclose that the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway would cost N4 billion per kilometre, contradicting Atiku’s claim.

Reacting to Umahi’s statement, Atiku criticized the alleged modification of the original project plan after awarding the contract to Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech without competitive bidding.

“The claim by Works Minister, Dave Umahi, that the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will tentatively cost N15.6 trillion is wasteful and a highway to fraud,” Atiku declared.

Observing discrepancies in project budgeting, Atiku questioned Umahi’s omission of the railway component cost and criticized awarding the contract without competitive bidding.

He urged Umahi to refrain from misleading Nigerians, stating, “The essence of competitive bidding is so that Nigerians can get the best value for money.”