- By Halimah Olamide
The awarding of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway was rushed; the environmental impact assessment report was not even completed
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has slammed President Bola Tinubu over what he called clash of interests in the award of contracts for the controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Atiku, in a statement released by his media aide, Paul Ibe, stated that the N17trn project is personal to Tinubu and not in the overall interest of Nigerians especially in the face of the current economic hardship in the country.
Saying that Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son is on the board of directors of CDK, a subsidiary of the company handling the 700 kilometre project, Atiku alleged that the award of the contract was rushed. “The awarding of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway was rushed; the environmental impact assessment report was not even completed; the right of way for the 700 km stretch of the highway project was not secured; it was converted from a PPP to a government-funded project within the twinkle of an eye,” he said.
“The N500m that was approved by the National Assembly for the project was ignored, while over N1tn was released by Tinubu’s administration without approval from the National Assembly.”
“To add insult to injury, this project that is being done in excess of $13bn was awarded without a competitive bidding,” the chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said.
Atiku argued that the country has other more important needs to face than the coastal road project. The Federal Government recently started the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal road which is being done by Hitech Construction Company Ltd. The Chagoury Group is the firm’s parent company.
The road project has continued to elicit criticisms. Atiku who is one of the fiercest oppositions to the project, claimed that since Seyi Tinubu is on the board of CDK, the award of the contract to Hitech Construction Company Ltd constitutes a conflict of interest.
Citing a report by Paris-based Africa Intelligence News Agency where it was revealed by the Corporate Affairs Commission that Seyi is officially a business associate of Chagoury, the former Vice President said it was not surprising that the Chagoury Group had become the biggest beneficiary of the Tinubu largesse.”