The Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation has demanded an unbiased audit of the ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway mission, accusing the federal authorities of failing to make sure transparency within the procurement and execution of the contract.
The organisation additionally referred to as on the federal government to publish engineering assessments, alternative-route analyses, price implications and particulars of funds made on the mission following the announcement of a realignment of half of the highway in Ondo State.
Felix Hyat, director-general of the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation, made the demands at a press convention on Tuesday.
Mr Makinde, who’s the incumbent governor of Oyo State, is working for president on the platform of Allied People’s Movement (APM) within the 16 January election.
Mr Hyat questioned the circumstances surrounding the contract award in 2024 and the explanations for the route adjustment introduced by the Minister of Works, David Umahi.
He stated the realignment raised questions in regards to the mission’s preliminary planning, engineering assessments and the federal government’s dealing with of public funds.
“While we have nothing against the construction of roads in any part of the country, it is important to state that the afterthought realignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is an admission of technical incompetence, failure of proper planning and gross underestimation of the project’s engineering challenges,” he stated.
The campaign organisation additionally questioned the minister’s clarification that local weather change and environmental challenges necessitated the route adjustment.
Mr Hyat alleged that the circumstances surrounding the realignment raised issues about whether or not the required environmental impression evaluation had been performed earlier than the mission commenced.
He additional questioned the procurement course of, alleging that the contract was awarded with out an accepted engineering design, an open and aggressive bidding course of or budgetary provision and statutory appropriation by the National Assembly.
The allegations have been made by the campaign organisation and weren’t independently established in its assertion.
Questions over contract price
The organisation stated the federal government ought to clarify whether or not the route adjustment would scale back the mission’s total price and disclose how a lot had been spent up to now.
It additionally raised issues in regards to the reported hyperlinks between the contractor’s company group and a agency whose board allegedly contains people related to the Presidency.
Mr Hyat stated the circumstances warranted public disclosure of the procurement course of, contractor choice, contract price and safeguards established to guard public funds.
The organisation additionally alleged that the highway contract had, from inception, been designed as a conduit for financing the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s election bills. It didn’t present proof to substantiate the allegation in its assertion.
“We demand that the President Tinubu-led government should publish the relevant engineering assessment, alternative-route analysis, accompanying cost implications and comprehensive audit of the work and amount so far spent,” Mr Hyat stated.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a serious federal infrastructure mission supposed to attach Lagos with coastal communities throughout a number of southern states in direction of Calabar, Cross River State. The proposed route adjustment has renewed questions in regards to the mission’s planning, environmental issues and monetary implications.
The organisation stated the highway contract needs to be assessed towards the situation of current federal roads, which it described as being in pressing want of rehabilitation.
It additionally linked the controversy to Nigeria’s broader financial challenges, citing rising meals costs, transportation prices and healthcare bills, in addition to elevated college tuition charges.
Makinde the choice to Tinubu
Beyond the highway controversy, the organisation urged Nigerians to reject President Bola Tinubu within the 2027 presidential election.
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It referred to as on voters to help Seyi Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), describing him as a substitute for the incumbent.
The organisation stated Mr Makinde’s proposed RESET Nigeria agenda provided a imaginative and prescient for nationwide renewal and argued that his management might appeal to help throughout political events and areas.
Mr Hyat stated the long run of Nigeria ought to take priority over Mr Tinubu’s re-election ambition.
The campaign organisation’s demands embody the fast publication of procurement and cost data, an unbiased engineering evaluation of the Ondo realignment and a complete audit of the mission’s expenditure and future execution plans.
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