Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural institution, has issued an appeal to opposition elements, urging them not to distract the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, from starting and completing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project.
The project has been a subject of controversy in the last few days after Atiku Abubakar, former vice president and opposition leader, accused the federal government of not following due process in awarding the contract.
In response to the controversy, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has emphasized the need to shield Senator Umahi from unwarranted distractions and baseless allegations.
”His unwavering commitment to infrastructure development and economic prosperity exemplifies a dedication to the welfare of all Nigerians, transcending partisan divides,” Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said in a statement sent to Politics Nigeria.
He further said: ”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.
”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 kilometre, has sown seeds of trepidation within opposition circles, foreseeing a potential disruption to the political equilibrium.
”The spectre 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 Dave Umahi, poses a cogent threat to Atiku Abubakar’s final bid for the presidential mantle in 2027, an endeavour fraught with the perils of advancing age.
”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 era.
”OHANAEZE NDIGBO’s Secretary General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, 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.
”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.”
