…Says former president playing politics, unnecessarily bitter
By Chukwuma Umeorah
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has fired back at former President Olusegun Obasanjo over criticisms of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, saying that if there were any allegations of corruption against him, he must have learnt it from Obasanjo, whom he referred to as his “father and in-law.”
Speaking during an inspection of the project in Lagos yesterday, Umahi dismissed claims that the highway was wasteful, arguing that those opposing the project were only aggrieved because they could not achieve such an ambitious infrastructure drive during their time in office.
“Obasanjo is not only a former president, he is a father to me and my in-law. So, if a father suddenly says his son is corrupt, it is up to the son to say, ‘look, I’m not corrupt.’ And if a father says that his son is corrupt, maybe he learnt it from his father,” Umahi remarked.
The minister’s comments followed Obasanjo’s recent criticism of the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Highway, which the former president described as wasteful and corrupt.
Umahi, however, dismissed the corruption and wastage claims, saying that the project followed due process and would significantly benefit the nation.
“You say the project is wasteful? Is it wasteful in the sense that it shouldn’t have been done? Is it wasteful that the people of Nigeria are not happy? Is it wasteful because it is connecting to all existing roads, reducing travel time, and serving as an evacuation corridor?” he retorted.
The minister listed other major projects, including the Sokoto-Badagry (1,068km), Trans-Saharan (468km), and Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe (462km) highways, questioning why critics focused solely on the Lagos-Calabar project.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu was committed to expanding Nigeria’s infrastructure network and ensuring value for money.
Umahi also defended the procurement process, explaining that different bidding methods were employed in compliance with the law.
“We used restrictive bidding for Section 1, which was reviewed by the Bureau of Public Procurement and approved by the Federal Executive Council. Subsequent sections went through selective competitive bidding,” he said.
He also countered claims that the project cost was inflated, saying that economic realities, including rising cement, diesel, and exchange rate costs, influenced pricing.
“In 2015, cement was N815 per bag; today, it’s N9,500. Diesel was ₦300 per litre; now it’s N1,300. The dollar was N300; today, it’s N1,500. Just tell me where corruption has come into this,” he asked.
Umahi stressed that Obasanjo and most other critics were only playing politics with their views on the project.
“When someone is doing what you couldn’t do, it is natural to feel bad. But this is not just a road project; it is an investment for generations to come. Nigerians are happy about it, and that is what matters,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to delivering the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway and other major projects, stressing that criticisms would not deter the government from fulfilling its infrastructure agenda.