Makinde's Campaign Group Calls for Audit of ₦15trn Lagos-Calabar Highway

The Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation is asking for an independent audit of the ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project. They claim the federal government has not been transparent in how the contract was handled.

The group also wants the government to share details like engineering assessments, analyses of alternative routes, cost implications, and payment records for the project. This comes after part of the highway in Ondo State was realigned.

Felix Hyat, the director-general of the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation, made these requests during a press conference on Tuesday.

Governor Seyi Makinde, who is currently in office in Oyo State, is running for president with the Allied People’s Movement (APM) ahead of the January 16 election.

Mr Hyat raised concerns about how the contract was awarded in 2024 and why the Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced the route change. He said this realignment brings up questions about the project’s original planning, engineering studies, and how public funds are managed.

"While we have nothing against the construction of roads in any part of the country, it is important to state that the afterthought realignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is an admission of technical incompetence, failure of proper planning and gross underestimation of the project’s engineering challenges," he stated.

The campaign group also challenged the minister’s claim that climate change and environmental issues were the reasons for the route change.

Mr Hyat claimed that the realignment raised doubts about whether an environmental impact assessment was done before starting the project.

He also questioned the procurement process, saying the contract was awarded without an approved engineering design, a competitive bidding process, or budget approval from the National Assembly.

These claims were made by the campaign organisation and were not verified in their statement.

The group said the government should clarify if the route change would lower the overall project cost and reveal how much has been spent so far.

They also highlighted concerns about connections between the contractor's corporate group and a firm whose board reportedly includes people linked to the Presidency.

Mr Hyat said the situation calls for public disclosure of the procurement process, contractor selection, contract costs, and measures taken to protect public funds.

The organisation claimed that the highway contract was designed from the start to help fund the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s election expenses. They did not provide proof for this claim in their statement.

"We demand that the President Tinubu-led government should publish the relevant engineering assessment, alternative-route analysis, accompanying cost implications and comprehensive audit of the work and amount so far spent," Mr Hyat said.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a key federal infrastructure project meant to connect Lagos with coastal communities in several southern states leading to Calabar, Cross River State. The proposed route change has raised new questions about the project’s planning, environmental factors, and financial details.

The campaign organisation said the highway contract should be judged against the state of existing federal roads, which they noted are in urgent need of repair.

They also linked this issue to Nigeria’s wider economic problems, mentioning rising food prices, transportation costs, healthcare expenses, and increased university fees.

Beyond the highway issue, the group urged Nigerians to reject President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

They called on voters to support Seyi Makinde, the APM presidential candidate, saying he represents a good alternative to the current president.

The organisation claimed that Mr Makinde’s RESET Nigeria agenda provides a vision for national renewal and that his leadership could gain support from various political groups and regions.

Mr Hyat emphasized that Nigeria's future should be more important than Mr Tinubu’s re-election goals.

The campaign organisation’s requests include publishing procurement and payment records, an independent engineering assessment of the Ondo realignment, and a thorough audit of the project’s spending and future plans.