Former PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, specifically pointing out the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project.
In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku suggested that the project’s acceleration is due to Tinubu’s business relationship with Gilbert Chagoury, the proprietor of Hitech, the company contracted for the project.
Atiku argued that the contract was awarded in breach of procurement rules. He highlighted the involvement of Tinubu’s son and his associates in Gilbert Chagoury’s companies as a potential conflict of interest. Specifically, Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, serves on the board of CDK Integrated Industries, a Chagoury Group subsidiary that produces ceramic tiles and sanitary towels.
Atiku’s Allegations
- Atiku claims the coastal highway project is being expedited solely due to the business ties between President Tinubu and Gilbert Chagoury, the owner of Hitech, the contractor responsible for the highway project.
- Atiku alleges that the contract was granted in violation of procurement regulations and that Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, is a director on the board of CDK Integrated Industries, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group.
- Atiku also claims that the “so-called” Badagry-Sokoto highway would be awarded similarly at an enormous cost to taxpayers purely because Tinubu has put his interest ahead of the Nigerian people.
- Atiku mocks Tinubu’s claims of securing over $30 billion in foreign direct investments, stating that no such investments have materialized, and manufacturing firms are posting heavy losses due to his “poorly implemented exchange rate unification policy.”
Atiku’s Concerns
- Atiku alleges that the environmental impact assessment report for the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project was not even completed, and the right of way for the 700 km stretch of the highway project was not secured.
- Atiku claims the project was converted from a PPP to a government-funded project within a short period, and over N1 trillion was released by Tinubu’s administration without approval from the National Assembly.
- Atiku also criticizes the demolition of tourist and recreational facilities and other properties within the Oniru corridor, including parts of Landmark, without ample notice, which he says is one of the reasons foreign direct investments continue to elude the country.
Atiku’s scathing remarks highlight his concerns about the transparency and prioritization of national interests in the Tinubu administration’s economic policies and infrastructure projects.
