Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, declaring it the worst in Nigeria’s democratic history.
Obasanjo: ‘Lagos-Calabar N15.6tn highway project wasteful’
Obasanjo, however, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government appears to be following the same path of misgovernance and corruption and may surpass Buhari’s record.
He made this assertion in the first chapter of his newly released book, “Nigeria: Past and Future.”
The book was one of the two new books the former President unveiled last week in commemoration of his 88th birthday.
Obasanjo, in the book, as reported by The Punch on Thursday, March 13, described the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project as wasteful and corrupt.
He also slammed Tinubu’s administration for spending N21 billion on a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, calling it a misplaced priority and conduit designed to embezzle public funds.
Presidency knocks Obasanjo
Reacting, the presidency, however, tackled former President Obasanjo on the controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, in a post share on his X page on Thursday, said:
“Former President Obasanjo seems to see himself as the only Nigerian created by God who knows what is good for Nigeria per time. If, as President for 8 years, he couldn’t fix Lagos-Ibadan Express and Lagos-Abeokuta road, we can’t take his latest view on Lagos-Calabar highway as well-informed.”
Also reacting, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, speaking in Akure, Ondo state, said:
“The project is not wasteful and corrupt. I have read on social media where people were saying that why is the government or the contractor not explaining, but as the Minister of Works, I am qualified to explain the project.
“It is natural and normal for people to criticise, but I’ve run the benefits of the project and the cost analysis. The jobs are already done about 70 per cent and the project will bring a lot of prosperity to the citizens. I’ll ask those criticising it not to follow the road.”
Past criticism of Lagos-Calabar coastal highway
Meanwhile, the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, championed by Umahi, is estimated to cost N4.93 billion per kilometre.
So far, the government has allocated N1.06 trillion for the pilot phase, which accounts for only six percent of the project, starting at Eko Atlantic and expected to extend to the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
However, concerns have been raised about the contract’s award to Hitech Construction Company, owned by Gilbert Chagoury, a known associate of President Tinubu.
FG paid N2.75 billion compensation to landowners
In related news, Legit.ng reported that the federal government announced that date it will commence the payment of compensation for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.
Umahi said the federal government would pay N2.75 billion in compensation to property owners affected by the demolition on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
