Umahi Disputes Claims Tinubu Influenced Coastal Highway Contract

David Umahi, Nigeria’s Works and Housing Minister, has refuted claims suggesting that President Tinubu had a hand in awarding the much-debated Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract to Hitech Construction Company. In an interview with Punch Newspapers, Umahi asserted that the decision was based on merit and due process, and not influenced by political connections.

Umahi’s statement comes in response to allegations circulating on social media platforms, suggesting that Tinubu had directed him to award the contract to Hitech Construction Company.

However, Umahi also addressed concerns about flooding along the highway corridor. In an interview with Vanguard News, he emphasized that flooding had been a recurring issue in these communities prior to construction, and stressed that the project was not the cause of the problem. He referred to those spreading misinformation as ’emergency social media engineers’ who rush to judgement without verifying facts.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a crucial infrastructure project intended to improve transportation and economic connectivity in South-South Nigeria. The controversy surrounding its awarding has raised questions about transparency and accountability within the Tinubu administration.