Lagos-Calabar Highway Project: Again, Atiku Knocks Tinubu, Asks 7 Questions

• The PDP flagbearer in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has knocked President Bola Tinubu on the award of the Lagos-Calabar highway project
• Atiku, in a statement, challenged the presidency to reveal the cost of the project to Nigerians and why N1.06tn was released for the pilot phase of 6%
• The former vice president further asked seven questions about the project and urged the presidency to respond without insults

Legit.ng journalist Bada Yusuf is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over seven years of experience in journalism and writing.

FCT, Abuja - Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has knocked President Bola Tinubu on the cost of the Lagos-Calabar highway project.

The former vice president, in a statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, challenged the administration of Tinubu to disclose the cost of the project.

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He added that the government can't continue to be mute on how public funds were being spent at a time that the country was in dire economic challenges.

Atiku queries award of Lagos-Calabar highway

In the statement sent to Legit.ng on Tuesday, April 9, the ex-vice president queried the administration of Tinubu on why the contract was awarded to Gilbert Chagoury's Hitech without any bidding from competitor.

Atiku also questioned the release of N1.06tn for the pilot phase or 6% of the project, which started from the Eko Atlantic and is expected to end at the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

The PDP leader noted that the administration of Tinubu cannot continue to respond to the public enquiry with insult, stating that Nigerians deserved to know the truth.

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Lagos-Calabar highway: Seven questions by Atiku

He then asked seven questions concerning the project.

1. How much is the total cost of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway?
2. Why is the Nigerian government funding the project despite being a PPP?
3. Why is the project taking off from Chagoury's Eko Atlantic?
4. Why is N1.06tn spent on the pilot phase, just 47km?
5. Why did the N1.06tn not get the approval of the National Assembly?
6. Why wasn't there a competitive bidding for the project?
7. Finally, how did the Tinubu administration get the design and the right of way in just seven months, since it claims the past administrations of Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari never touched the project?"

Analyst reacts

Speaking on the development in an interview with Legit.ng, Okanlawon Gafar, a legal practitioner, said the people elected the governor and must be accountable to the people.

He said:

"The people elected the president, and he is expected to be accountable to the people. Atiku has raised serious concerns, and the presidency should not see it as politics, but should explain to Nigerians."

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Tinubu’s minister speaks on completion date, cost of Lagos-Calabar coastal highway

2027: Why Atiku may get PDP presidential ticket

Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerian politicians have been making permutations ahead of the 2027 presidential election, barely a year after the 2023 general election, where Tinubu secured the seat of power.

Key players in the 2023 presidential election, including Tinubu, Atiku, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party are believed to have started plans for the next general election.

Source: Legit.ng