The 2023 presidential candidate for the Labour Party, Peter Obi has decried the deplorable state of raids across the country.
Obi who plied the Agbor, Delta Road on his way to the burial of General Cecil Esekhaigbe on Friday said his trip to Esan Central of Edo State became a mission impossible.
He said, “Today, again, I came face to face with the deplorable state of Nigeria roads as my desire to join a great friend and brother, Gen Cecil Esekhaigbe, in Esan Central of Edo State, who was burying his mother was married by bad roads.
“I had set out at 8 am by road to Esanland to join him and bid his beloved mother, Mrs Ebaidebheki Esakhaigbe, farewell, but little did I know that it would be a mission impossible,” the former governor said.
In a post shared on X, Obi added that with his experience with bad roads, he had decided to avoid the Benin Road and pass through Agbor.
He said, “On getting to Agbor Junction, I turned toward the direction of my destination. However, I was shocked by the very bad shape of the road which was almost not passable by car.
“I persisted and continued on the journey for about 25 minutes into the road until it became completely blocked by a faulty trailer that had impeded movement, causing a great gridlock.
Then, I decided to take Ugoneki Road, which would have also led me to my destination. Again, getting to the road was another nightmare, making my journey impossible. The poor condition of many Nigerian roads breaks my heart,” he noted.
He added that although it became impossible for him to attend the funeral due to the challenges he faced on the road, he is in earnest prayers with General Cecil for a successful event.
He further called on the government and relevant agencies to maintain, rehabilitate and reconstruct roads where necessary for the benefit of citizens.
He said, “I use this opportunity to continue to plead with our political leaders, at all levels, to concentrate on maintaining, rehabilitating, and reconstructing our existing roads and other infrastructure rather than embarking on new projects that will never be completed.
“I look forward to the day when Nigerians will be able to travel freely and safely on good and well-maintained roads in New Nigeria that is Possible,” Obi added.
