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• October 2, 2025
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Coastal Highway: CSOs, Experts Commend Quality of Work

Coastal Highway: CSOs, Experts Commend Quality of Work

Sunday Ehigiator

Civil society organisations (CSOs), opposition party figures, and economic experts have lauded the federal government, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the pace and quality of work on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing the project as a landmark initiative that could redefine Nigeria’s infrastructure and economic growth trajectory.

The commendations came during a project inspection tour in Lagos, led by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, who disclosed that the first section of the 750-kilometre highway, spanning from Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, to Eleko, would be completed by May 2026.

Umahi noted that 35 kilometres of the stretch had been executed, with 12 kilometres outstanding, and reaffirmed the government’s choice of concrete pavement for durability. He said the second section, from Eleko to Ode-Omi in Ogun State, was already underway.

“Roads and bridges are the infrastructure that build the GDP of every nation,” Umahi said. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu understands this and has shown the commitment to deliver.”

 “Lagos today is an economy within an economy because of such foresight.”

Among those who joined the tour was Otunba Segun Showunmi, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and policy advocate, who urged Nigerians to rise above partisan divides in supporting legacy projects.

“You cannot develop a nation without a long-term plan,” Showunmi said. “What I have seen so far is commendable. Beyond political differences, we must build consensus for national development. At 65, Nigeria must be in a hurry to model its infrastructure after globally competitive economies like Singapore, India, and the UAE.”

Chairman of Proshare Group, Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi, stressed that the highway was a test case for large-scale infrastructure financing and an alternative route to ease cross-country connectivity.

“This is not just a road,” Awoyemi said. “It is a test case for how Nigeria will finance and manage transformative infrastructure.”

CSO leader Declan Ihekaire, who was among 20 civil society representatives on the tour, praised the government’s openness to scrutiny, urging NGOs to be balanced in their assessments.

“We must not condemn all the time,” he said. “When we see progress, we should commend it. Ultimately, the people benefit from such initiatives.”

Umahi also revealed that the ministry had resolved property-related disputes along the project route and announced that the EFCC and DSS would investigate allegations involving diaspora investments and the WinHomes estate.

Beyond the coastal highway, Umahi listed three other legacy projects designed to connect Nigeria’s regions: the 477-kilometre Trans-Saharan Highway, the 422-kilometre Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Expressway, and the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway.

He assured Nigerians that periodic briefings and media engagements would continue to provide updates on progress.

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Sunday Ehigiator Civil society organisations (CSOs), opposition party figures, and economic experts have lauded the federal government, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the pace and quality of work on

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Lukman Raises the Alarm over Plot to Hijack  ADC  Structures

Lukman Raises the Alarm over Plot to Hijack  ADC  Structures

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

A  chieftain of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna state, Mallam Salihu Moh. Lukman, has raised the alarm over plot by some aspirants to hijack party structures against their perceived opponents. 

The ADC chieftain appealed to the former Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai, among other leaders to unite the party ahead of 2027 general elections. 

Other leaders Lukman appealed to are  Mallam Jaafaru Sani, Alhaji Bashir Saidu and Senator Musa Bello. 

In a statement released yesterday  in Abuja, Lukman said the ‘madness’ of controlling structures of ADC is the biggest threat before the party ahead of 2027 general elections. 

The former Director -General of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) said instead of working to build the party, “we are setting ourselves to produce a party whose business will be limited to presenting candidates for elections. People with ambition to contest elections have become restless and want to dominate the process of developing the structures of the party to the exclusion of their opponents.”

According to him, for whatever reasons, those of us who want the ADC to be an equal opportunity party are being condemned. Sadly, some of our leaders instead of providing fair leadership are taking side with strengthening aspiring candidates for 2027 elections across the state to the exclusion of others.

“I want to use the opportunity of this independence anniversary to appeal to all of us to stop this madness of trying to take over structures of ADC and control it to the exclusion of so called opponents. If ADC is to emerge as a strong party capable of defeating the APC in Kaduna State, we must agree to work together. Anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for APC.

“I am making this strong appeal with very deep feeling of disappointment that we are recklessly mismanaging an opportunity to provide the needed leadership to our people. In particular, I want to appeal to  Nasir El-Rufai, Mal. Jaafaru Sani and Alh. Bashir Saidu as opposition leaders in Kaduna State to please stop encouraging the madness of aspiring candidates seeking to take over structures of ADC to the exclusion of so-called opponents. 

“At individual level, I have tried to talk to those I can talk to. Unfortunately, I must also admit that I have failed in many respects. The fact that we have Sen. Musa Bello aggressively seeking to control structures of ADC in Zone 2 is a reflection of my failure. Largely because I am in recent times associated with Sen. Musa Bello, Sen. Lawal Adamu (Mr. La) has avoided all my request to meet him.

“I have met Mal. Jaafaru Sani on this matter. We have had some discussions with Mal. Nasir. Sincerely, I am saddened by the fact that we not united and the perception is that I am part of the problem. As a citizen from Kaduna State, I am willing to make every necessary sacrifice to move our state forward. I have no ambition to contest election. Without sounding immodest, I made every sacrifice to contribute to forming the coalition and negotiating the agreement with ADC.

“May I therefore appeal to Mal. Nasir and all our leaders to please seek to unite all of us. It is only if we are united in ADC that we can be able to unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027. We must bear in mind, it is not just about defeating APC but more about producing a government controlled by our party (ADC) based on collective leadership. We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as Governors. Anything short of producing a  Goverment managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.

“May God Almighty touch the heart of all us and guide us towards unity both within the ADC and in the state. Amin. Happy Independence  Anniversary.”

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Chuks Okocha in Abuja A  chieftain of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna state, Mallam Salihu Moh. Lukman, has raised the alarm over plot by some aspirants to hijack party