‘Nigerians deserve transparency’ — Obi media office seeks independent audit of Lagos-Calabar coastal highway

The Peter Obi media office has called for an independent audit of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Idris Zekeri, spokesperson for the Obi media office, said the audit was necessary given questions over the project’s scope, expenditure and current status.

Zekeri said Nigerians deserved answers on the amount spent on the project and any changes made to its original plan.

“When Peter Obi urged the government to rehabilitate Nigeria’s deteriorating hinterland roads before advancing an ambitious coastal highway, his position was unambiguous: public resources should be directed toward projects that provide the greatest benefit to the largest number of Nigerians,” the statement reads.

“Instead of addressing these concerns, the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, responded by attacking him. Now that questions have emerged regarding the project’s scope and its reported truncation, Nigerians are entitled to clear answers.

“How much money has been spent? What has been completed? Who approved any alterations, and who will be held responsible for any waste or mismanagement established by the evidence? Public projects are not political advertisements, and public funds are not private property.

“Nigerians deserve transparency, an independent audit, and a clear account of the project’s present status.”

Zekeri said Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), did not oppose infrastructure development but had called on the government to prioritise projects based on their benefits to Nigerians and value for money.

He urged the federal government to treat calls for accountability as legitimate concerns rather than political attacks, asking, “why target the messenger when the message calls for answers?”(TheCable)