From CHARLES ONYEKWERE
Faction of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has lauded the federal government for its visionary decision to construct the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway.
The group described the N15.6 trillion infrastructure as a game-changer for Nigeria’s economic and social development, praising President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its political will in executing such a monumental initiative.
In a statement yesterday by the factional Deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the organisation dismissed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent criticism of the project, calling it baseless and politically motivated.
“Ohanaeze categorically asserts that Obasanjo’s attack on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is part of a larger strategy to discredit President Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 elections. His claims of wastefulness, corruption and misplaced priorities are nothing more than a calculated attempt to undermine a project that will transform Nigeria’s economic landscape,” the statement read.
The Igbo body accused Obasanjo of leading a coalition of opposition forces determined to paint every achievement of the current administration in a negative light.
It described the former president’s remarks as an attempt to derail progress and destabilise the perception of President Tinubu’s leadership.
“Ohanaeze views Obasanjo’s criticism not as genuine concern, but as a desperate move to maintain political relevance and prevent another Yoruba president from surpassing his achievements in infrastructural development,” the group stated.
Reaffirming its confidence in the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, Ohanaeze praised his expertise and commitment to delivering quality road projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway.
The group warned against any attempt to tarnish Umahi’s reputation or hinder his efforts, vowing to resist such moves.
It urged President Tinubu and Senator Umahi to remain undeterred by Obasanjo’s “prophecies of obstruction” and instead, use them as motivation to push forward with their infrastructure agenda.
Ohanaeze added that Ndigbo stands firm in its belief that the super highway is not just a road, but a symbol of national unity, economic advancement and Nigeria’s collective aspirations.
