Atiku Abubakar, the former vice-president, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for allegedly prioritizing personal business interests over the welfare of Nigerians in the execution of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
Abubakar claims that Tinubu awarded the 700-kilometer project to Hitech Construction Company Limited, owned by his business associate Gilbert Chagoury. He alleges that this choice demonstrates a pattern of self-serving deals by Tinubu’s administration, pointing out that Hitech failed to complete the Lekki-Epe Expressway despite significant public investment.
Abubakar estimates the total cost of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project to be a staggering N15.7 trillion, far exceeding previous estimates. He highlights the contradiction between assurances by Minister Dave Umahi that the project would be privately financed and subsequent requests for government funding. Abubakar accuses the administration of opacity and lack of accountability, criticizing the absence of competitive bidding and parliamentary oversight.
He condemns the administration’s failure to disclose the project’s total cost, contrasting it with previous administrations’ transparency. Abubakar notes a significant increase in the project’s cost compared to previous agreements negotiated by Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.
He warns of potential job losses and fears that the project may never reach Calabar, questioning the motives behind the shift in responsibility from the Lagos state government to the federal government.
Abubakar also raises concerns about Tinubu’s plan to establish a Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund to finance the highway project, alleging a lack of transparency and accountability in its management.
He criticizes the potential for mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds through such initiatives, given the secrecy surrounding the current project.
