Stop Playing Politics Of Criticism-by-force’ – Tinubu’s Aide Fires Atiku Over Comments On Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project

Presidential aide, Dada Olusegun, has slammed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his comments on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

Recall that in a statement on Sunday issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku had said the Bola Tinubu administration is engaged in questionable dealings  over the coastal highway construction.

He said Tinubu puts personal business interests before Nigerian infrastructure and there is so much secrecy with the project.

Reacting to Atiku’s comments in an interview with The Punch, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the claims as “erroneous ” and “irresponsible.”

But Atiku said in a statement on Tuesday that the Tinubu administration could not continue to keep silent on how much of public funds would be spent on the project at a time Nigeria was still facing dire economic challenges.

The former vice president questioned the Tinubu administration’s decision to award the contract to Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech without competitive bidding.

He had also wondered why the Tinubu administration released N1.06tn for the pilot phase or 6% of the project, which begins at Eko Atlantic and is expected to terminate at the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

Reacting in a post via his official X handle on Tuesday, Dada Olusegun accused Atiku of mistaking the Lagos-Calabar Railway for the much anticipated Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

Olusegun said Atiku’s claims that the project was first conceived under former President Jonathan in 2014 and former President Muhammadu Buhari made an agreement with CCECC in 2016 were false and erroneous.

The presidential aide added that Atiku’s comments about the cost of the project revealed his lack of knowledge about the infrastructure.