Apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has urged the former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku to support the Lagos-Calabar coastal project.
Ohanaeze also enjoyed Atiku to back President Bola Tinubu-led federal government including the minister of works, Engr. David Umahi in delivering good projects.
The Igbo body said that the mariad of ongoing road projects was inherited from the tenure of former President, Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Former vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had recently condemned claims being made by President Bola Tinubu-led administration about the Lagos-Calabar coastal Highway- project.
Atiku described the project as wasteful and a highway to fraud the claims by works minister, Engr. David Umahi, that the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal Highway will tentatively cost ₦15.6 trillion.
But in reaction to Atiku’s claims, factional Secretary-general of Ohanaeze, Mazi Okechukwu lsiguzoro in a statement on Sunday, said the Lagos-Calabar coastal Highway project, if brought to fruition could reshape the political landscape and recalibrate the fortunes of key players, notably, Atiku Abubakar.
The statement read in part” At the heart of this transformation lies the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project, a monumental endeavour that, if brought to fruition, could reshape the political landscape and recalibrate the fortunes of key players, notably the 2023 PDP Presidential Candidate and the Waziri of Adamawa, Atiku Abubakar.
“As Nigerians and more specifically, Ndigbo, bear witness to the unfolding drama, questions abound regarding the enigma surrounding a Coastal Superhighway that promises manifold economic benefits for the poor Nigerians.
“Yet, paradoxically, this initiative has metamorphosed into a nightmare for opposition politicians, casting a shadow, especially over Atiku Abubakar’s political ambitions.
“OHANAEZE NDIGBO, the apex Igbo socio-cultural institution, has meticulously analyzed the labyrinthine processes underpinning the inception of the 700km Coastal Lagos-Calabar route.
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“The Presidential endorsement, heralding a staggering 15 trillion Naira investment, and the subsequent assignment of contracts to the esteemed Hi-Tech Company, compliant with legal protocols, mark the genesis of a monumental undertaking.
“The measured pace of road construction, priced at 4 billion per kilometer, has sown seeds of trepidation within opposition circles, foreseeing a potential disruption to the political equilibrium.
“The specter haunting the opposition, particularly about President Tinubu’s prospective legacy in presiding over the project’s completion before the 2027 elections under the aegis of Minister Of Works, Senator David Umahi, poses a cogent threat to Atiku Abubakar’s final bid for the presidential mantle in 2027.
“The ongoing construction efforts, diligently overseen by Hi-Tech Company, have garnered favour among Nigerians, reinforced by Minister Umahi’s illuminating discourse on the genesis of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road through NDDC’s inception during the Goodluck Jonathan’s era.
OHANAEZE NDIGBO heralds a dawn of resolution, elated by Senator Umahi’s adept dispelling of controversies encircling the Lagos-Calabar Road project.
“It is incumbent upon Nigerians to uphold the sanctity of Minister Umahi’s endeavours and shield them from undue distractions orchestrated by sponsored malcontents, urging patience and strategic timing for future engagements.
“As the saga unfolds, Atiku Abubakar is enjoined to supplicate for the success of President Tinubu and Minister Umahi in delivering the myriad ongoing road projects inherited from the tenure of Former President Buhari.
“Minister Umahi’s stewardship, underscored by a presidential mandate for innovative cement technology, heralds a renaissance of infrastructure developmentalism fostering economic durability and enhancing the prosperity of all Nigerians.
