Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Highway project, calling it a wasteful and corrupt venture. Read the full details of the controversy here.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has fiercely criticized the Lagos-Calabar Highway project initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, labeling it a colossal waste of public funds and a conduit for corruption.
Obasanjo, in his latest book, Nigeria: Past and Future, lamented that Nigerian leaders ascend to power with the sole intent of looting the nation’s resources. He described the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Highway project and the N21 billion Vice President’s official residence as glaring examples of financial recklessness.
Obasanjo’s Verdict: A Government Focused on Personal Gain
In chapter six of the book, the former president did not hold back, stating:
“Everything is said to be transactional, and the slogan is ‘It is my turn to chop.’ Typical examples of waste, corruption, and misplaced priorities are the murky Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, on which the President had turned a deaf ear to protests, and the new Vice-President’s official residence built at a cost of N21bn in the time of economic hardship to showcase the administration hitting the ground running and to show the importance of the office of the Vice-President. What small minds!”
His statement underscores what he sees as an entrenched culture of self-enrichment at the expense of the Nigerian people.
Silence from Tinubu’s Camp as Public Criticism Mounts
Following Obasanjo’s scathing remarks, Tinubu’s presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, has yet to issue a response.
The Lagos-Calabar Highway project has remained a subject of heated controversy. Critics, including the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, have demanded its suspension, questioning its transparency and economic viability.
Despite the backlash, the Tinubu-led administration has repeatedly defended the project. Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has assured Nigerians that 30 kilometers out of the 70-kilometer stretch of Phase 1, Section 1, will be completed by May 2025.
Project Timeline and Cost Raises Eyebrows
The Lagos-Calabar Highway, launched in March 2024, has faced scrutiny over its astronomical cost and execution strategy. Many Nigerians see it as another avenue for siphoning public funds, especially given the economic challenges facing the country.
With Obasanjo adding his voice to the criticism, pressure is mounting on the Tinubu administration to provide a more detailed breakdown of expenditures and justify the necessity of the project in the face of widespread hardship.
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