News
Landowners sue FG over N15tn Lagos-Calabar highway
The Federal Government has insisted that it would continue construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway despite ongoing court cases filed by aggrieved persons against the project.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, stated this at a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja while addressing serious concerns about the project’s procurement process that led to court proceedings by landowners.
He stated that the N15.36tn coastal highway, which will be built on concrete pavement, received all necessary legal and procedural requirements before it commenced construction.
The coastal highway has been a subject of public scrutiny and controversies since the government commenced construction in March 2024.
In May, Umahi disclosed that 750 houses on the path of the highway had been marked for demolition.
However, owners of affected property were displeased with the government compensation, claiming it did not match their investments.
According to them, the compensation is grossly inadequate and there is the need for the government to review the payment.
The founder of Leisure Games, Olanrewaju Ojo, who got N1.3m compensation, told The PUNCH that the amount was what he could generate in a week.
He said, “This is ridiculous! What am I supposed to do with this? I will make this in a week.”
Stakeholders and experts also condemned the road procurement process, stressing that the contract awarded to the construction company was shrouded in secrecy and bypassed the proper procurement process.
The project, designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passes through the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom, before culminating in Cross River. It is crucial for enhancing connectivity and boosting economic activities along Nigeria’s coastal region.
The road is expected to cost N4bn per kilometre, with the government awarding contracts for two sections of less than 100km at a total cost of N2.46tn.
Umahi also said the legacy project would be delivered in eight years.
However, this timeline may not be achievable as the minister hinted that the delay would affect the overall project delivery and increase its cost.
During the press briefing organised to mark his first anniversary in office, Umahi reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to completing the project, asserting that all legal and procedural requirements were followed.
“We are paying compensation. We are following the corridor’s right of way. We are following the corridor that is legally allowed for the Federal Government,” he stated, while dismissing claims that the project lacked proper authorisation.
“That is the beauty of democracy, and under the guise of democracy we have some fraudulent individuals who want to rip where they did not sow. We have not just one court case, we have over six, but we are equal to the task.
“They want to socket their pipes and that is all that they are doing. We are paying compensation.”
Expressing his confusion over the lawsuits, Umahi added, “And so, we don’t know what they are taking to court.”
He added that the project’s procurement process was above board, having been approved by the Federal Executive Council under the Restrictive Procurement Act.
“My Permanent Secretary is a procurement expert, and I have a very good Department of Public Procurement and good directors, but the project was approved by the Federal Executive Council under restrictive procurement,” he stated.
Umahi also defended the project’s cost, countering comparisons to other international projects.
“I’ve had to run even the cost of the project at N4bn per kilometre. And yet, people still come to say, ‘oh, this number of lanes in Egypt is N1.8bn. And it is 300 kilometres,’” he said, criticising those questioning the project without sufficient understanding.
The minister confirmed that all environmental social impact assessments had been completed and that the project was included in the 2023 supplementary appropriation.
“We have ESIA certificates on the project. That’s number one. Number two, was the project listed in the appropriation list? The project is in the 2023 supplementary appropriation. The project is ongoing. But the more you take us to court, the more we increase the price of work,” he noted.
Addressing those attempting to obstruct the project through legal means, the former Governor of Ebonyi State said, “If they want to unduly benefit from the project by going to court, they are wasting their time. I fought many battles as governor of my state. And so, my name is David and I’m not afraid of bad people.”
Umahi announced that no new project would be included in the 2025 budget unless directed by President Bola Tinubu, adding that instead, the government would focus on completing existing projects and intervening in critical areas such as roads and infrastructure.
“We need to fix the weak links immediately. If the road is bad, we need to fix it immediately,” Umahi emphasised.
The minister further highlighted initiatives aimed at ensuring value for money in government projects, including the removal of the Consumer Price Index from all contracts and the introduction of inflow pricing.
“We are committed to giving the government value for money spent on the projects,” he added.
Additionally, Umahi outlined the ministry’s new four-way project provision, which mandates that four field staff be on-site to monitor project execution.
This will be complemented by mission planning, where stakeholders, including communities, road users, and other actors, will be engaged to monitor works and report any poor quality. “Engaging communities where the projects traverse is crucial,” Umahi noted.
He also acknowledged challenges related to funding, stating, “We have challenges,” and pointed out that the ministry’s allocation of N52bn for capital projects was inadequate for maintaining the 36,000km federal roads network.
Despite these obstacles, Umahi expressed optimism, introducing the second phase of the highway development initiative under a Public-Private Partnership scheme.
“The introduction of the new road infrastructure forecast provides a sustainable source of finance for road projects,” Umahi said, adding that the government had created a conducive atmosphere for tolling Nigerian roads with approvals from the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission.
Umahi called for effective collaboration between federal, state, and local governments, as well as the private sector, to ensure the success of these new policies.
He praised President Tinubu’s agenda in the road sector, saying “it has the potential to transform Nigeria’s infrastructure, stimulate economic growth, and improve the lives of citizens.”
According to the minister, the government will focus on completing four key projects in 2025, which will be commissioned by the President.
“We want to give very serious budgetary attention to these projects so that they could be completed in 2025 and have them commissioned by the President,” Umahi said.
Speaking further, the minister said the total value of all the ongoing projects as of May 2023 was N14.42tn.
“Amount certified was N4.7tn, while the amount paid was N3.12tn. Also, the amount owed contractors for certified works was N1.61tn.
“The funding gap to complete all the inherited projects is about N13tn as of May 2023 and will be more than N16tn when all projects are reviewed in line with current market realities.
“Due to the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, though it is a very sound economic decision of this administration, and considering the fact that some of the projects have lingered for between five to 18 years, consequently, the projects are being reviewed to match with current market realities,” he stated.
On the achievements of his ministry in the last year, Umahi, who noted that the sum of N300bn was provided for the ministry in the 2023 Supplementary Budget, said about 90 per cent of the works have been executed to completion.
“The sum of N300bn was provided in the 2023 Supplementary Budget of the Federal Ministry of Works for some ongoing and new emergency projects.”
He added that the certified amount was N4.73tn, stating that the amount paid was N3.1tn while the sum of N1.61tn was owed contractors for certified works.
“The present administration inherited a total of 18,932.50km of ongoing projects with a total of 2,064 contracts. The total value of all the ongoing projects as of May 2023 was N14.42tn.”
PUNCH
OSOGBO — The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the outcome of the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that it is not convinced that Governor Ademola Adeleke secured the highest number of valid votes.
INEC on Sunday declared Adeleke the winner after the Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwale, announced the final results at the commission’s headquarters in Osogbo.
Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dr Najeem Salaam, came third with 17,180 votes.
However, the APC said it would not accept the declaration without conducting a comprehensive review of the electoral process.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme on Monday, the Director-General of the APC campaign for the Osun governorship election, Hon. Oluwole Oke, said the party had commenced an audit of the results and electoral materials from the poll.
Oke said the party had directed its agents across the state to submit relevant result sheets for scrutiny as it investigates alleged infractions.
“We need to do the needful which is to evaluate the process, review the process and then form an opinion. We’ve embarked on an audit process; we’ve asked all our party agents to submit copies of Form EC8A, B, C to our secretariat for review. We need to inspect all the materials because we do not agree with the declaration of INEC, and that’s our position for now,” he said.
The APC campaign chief also dismissed suggestions that the party was under pressure to immediately accept the outcome following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s congratulatory message to Adeleke.
Tinubu had congratulated Adeleke after the declaration, describing the outcome as a reflection of the will of the people.
Reacting to the President’s position, Oke said Tinubu spoke in his capacity as President and a democrat following INEC’s declaration.
“Mr. President spoke as the Father of the nation and a democrat following the declaration by INEC,” he said.
Oke, however, maintained that the APC would rely on its own assessment of the election after completing its review.
“We’re on ground and politics is local and, like I’ve told you, what we’re doing is to conduct a thorough review of the entire process and form an opinion,” he said.
He added that the party would not be rushed into congratulating Adeleke, insisting that its preliminary position was that the governor did not secure the highest number of valid votes.
“We won’t be under any subtle pressure to easily reach out to congratulate Senator Ademola Adeleke because we believe he didn’t score the highest valid votes,” Oke said.
The APC is expected to determine its next course of action after completing its audit and reviewing the electoral materials and results submitted by its agents.
ABAKALIKI — The 2027 governorship race in Ebonyi State is gathering momentum, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Odii, unveiling a package of reforms aimed at improving the welfare of workers, teachers and retirees.
Odii made the commitments during a meeting with representatives of Ebonyi civil servants and members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) at his Lagos residence, where he outlined his plans for a comprehensive reform of the state’s public service.
A major component of his agenda is a workers’ housing scheme designed to provide 1,000 housing units within his first year in office and up to 5,000 units over four years if elected governor.
Odii said the housing programme would be structured to minimise dependence on direct government funding, with workers’ contributions and existing pension assets forming part of the financing framework.
He said the initiative would address the housing difficulties faced by workers and retirees, particularly retirees who often struggle to sustain rented accommodation after leaving government service.
The PDP candidate also proposed a paperless digital loan platform that would allow workers to access loans against their contributory pension savings without the bureaucratic delays associated with the existing system.
On retirement benefits, Odii pledged that workers would have access to their entitlements immediately upon retirement, arguing that retirees should not endure prolonged delays in receiving benefits accrued during their years of service.
He further promised to reform the promotion process through computer-based promotion examinations capable of producing results instantly.
According to him, the digital system would reduce delays, curb opportunities for manipulation and promote greater transparency and fairness in the career progression of civil servants.
Odii said the proposed reforms were aimed at creating a public service where workers would have improved access to housing, credit facilities and timely retirement benefits, while ensuring a more transparent promotion system.
He presented the proposals as part of his broader agenda to improve workers’ welfare and reposition the Ebonyi State civil service for greater efficiency if elected governor in 2027.
The MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has confirmed the death of one of its operations staff in an electrical accident.
The Head of Communications, MEDL, Mr Emeka Ezeh, who confirmed the incident in Enugu on Monday, said that the incident occured on Aug. 13 at Eke in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Ezeh said that the incident, which occurred at about 1p.m., involved Mr. Samson Okechi, the Team Lead, Abor, attached to the company’s 9th Mile District.
He said, “Okechi was carrying out maintenance work on a 50kVA/11kV pole-mounted distribution substation at Eke when he sustained an electric shock.
“Okechi was immediately evacuated to Our Saviour Hospital, Ngwo, for medical attention but was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty. His remains were subsequently deposited at a mortuary.”
He said that the incident was formally reported at the Ngwo Police Station for documentation and other necessary statutory actions.
Ezeh also debunked claims circulating on some social media platforms that Okechi was murdered or that the incident was the result of sabotage.
“I wonder why some people take pleasure in conjuring unfounded narratives and circulating them, thereby creating unnecessary tension and bad blood. This is so unfair,” he said.
He urged members of the public to disregard the claims, describing them as baseless.
According to him, Okechi had requested a Station Guarantee (SG) for the Okwe 11kV Feeder, which was granted at about 11:06 a.m. at the 9th Mile Injection Substation. The feeder was subsequently opened and tagged.
“This is a very unfortunate development and a big shock to all of us, his colleagues. Our hearts go out to his immediate family as they grieve,” Ezeh said.
The MEDL spokesman disclosed that MainPower management had commenced a comprehensive investigation to establish the immediate, underlying and root causes of the accident.
He said, “We are committed to ensuring that the investigation is thorough and evidence-based.
“The findings will be used to identify any gaps, determine appropriate corrective measures, and strengthen safety procedures and operational controls where necessary.”
Ezeh MEDL assured its customers and stakeholders that safety remained a paramount priority in its operations, adding that appropriate measures would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.
Idiaye, a third-term lawmaker, takes over from Blessing Agbebaku, who resigned as Speaker on Monday amid moves by lawmakers to impeach him.
The emergence of Idiaye was said to have been influenced by the gentleman’s zoning arrangement in the Assembly, which provides that when the governor is from the Edo Central Senatorial District, the Speaker should come from Edo North.
Idiaye, being the oldest member from the Edo North Senatorial District, was subsequently elected Speaker.
Without the zoning arrangement, the Deputy Speaker would have automatically succeeded Agbebaku, according to the new Speaker.
Members of the Assembly were at the Government House to inform Governor Monday Okpebholo of the change in leadership.
Agbebaku was said to have resigned early on Monday following alleged moves by lawmakers to impeach him.
Reports gathered that 17 of the 24 lawmakers had signed a notice of impeachment on Sunday night, a development that may have prompted his resignation.
Agbebaku’s resignation was confirmed by Ebojele, who said details of the development would be made public later.
She said, “I can confirm the Speaker’s resignation but details will be made public later.”
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from his position.
Agbebaku stepped down on Monday amid moves by some lawmakers to impeach him.
His resignation was confirmed on Facebook by his media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, who said further details on the circumstances surrounding his exit would be made public later.
“EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS,” she wrote.
The development has thrown the Edo State House of Assembly into a fresh leadership crisis, with lawmakers expected to determine a new Speaker.
Details shortly…
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