Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Federal Government to publish the contract documents and payment records for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway following changes to sections of the project’s route.
Atiku’s demand followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to reroute parts of the highway along the existing East-West Road.
In a statement issued on Monday by Phrank Shaibu, director of strategic communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential campaign council, Atiku said the changes had raised questions about the original contract, payments already made and the financial implications of the revised route.
The ADC presidential candidate also alleged that the government might seek additional borrowing to finance payments linked to the project.
“Publish the proposed loan, the contract it would finance and the record of what has already been paid. If no such request exists, say so plainly and on the record,” he said.
Atiku linked the controversy to the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that Nigerians should not bear the cost of additional borrowing without access to the relevant project accounts.
“He removed the petrol subsidy without protecting Nigerians from the blow. Families are still paying for that decision every day,” he said.
“Now, his government has put a coastal highway plan before Nigerians in the budget, changed parts of it midway and, according to the intelligence we have received, may be preparing to ask the country to borrow billions more.”
Atiku Seeks Details of Revised Highway Contract
Atiku questioned what would happen to the original contract and payments already made if sections of the planned route were abandoned.
“Nigerians have suffered enough from this government’s trial and error. They cannot be made to pay for another changed promise without seeing the accounts,” he said.
“If work on the original route will no longer be done, what has been removed from the contract? How much has already been paid? What is the revised price? You cannot change the work and refuse to change the bill.”
He called for the publication of the project’s original feasibility and environmental studies, route maps, bills of quantities, contract variations, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) approvals, payment certificates and any borrowing proposals linked to the highway.
Atiku Calls for Public Hearing
The former vice-president also urged the National Assembly to hold a public hearing before considering any additional financing for the project.
He described the reported route changes and the possibility of further borrowing as examples of what he characterised as policy inconsistency under Tinubu’s administration.
Atiku said the government should account for the financial implications of the changes rather than expect Nigerians to bear additional costs without adequate scrutiny.
“This is the policy inconsistency that has defined Tinubu’s government and made an already severe cost of living crisis harder for Nigerians to bear,” he said.
“Announce a plan. Change it without a full accounting. Then present the public with a bigger bill. When capital spending is hidden from scrutiny, corruption has room to grow and the people suffer more.”
Atiku said an administration led by him would budget for capital projects transparently, account for changes in scope and cost, and subject spending to independent audits.
“Nigerians are not against roads. They are against secret bills for changing plans. Tinubu must show the route, show the accounts and show the loan request. Enough of grand announcements followed by expensive surprises,” he said.
Why Tinubu Ordered the Route Change
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, had said Tinubu directed that the coastal highway should follow the existing East-West Road from Ondo State into Edo State to avoid constructing a new alignment along the corridor.
Umahi said the decision was also informed by flooding challenges along the East-West Road, particularly around the Ughelli axis in Delta State.
