…Accuses Tinubu govt of breaching procurement rules
…Questions contract award, environmental assessment and subsequent realignment
By Steve Oko
UMUAHIA — Former Senate President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Adolphus Wabara, has called for a comprehensive investigation into the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, raising concerns over alleged breaches of procurement and other statutory requirements.
Wabara accused the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government of failing to ensure compliance with due process, transparency and accountability in the award and execution of the project.
In a statement, the former Senate President questioned whether the contract had been awarded in accordance with the Public Procurement Act, 2007, and other applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
He also raised concerns about the engineering design, environmental impact assessment and legislative approvals for the project, urging the relevant authorities to establish whether all necessary procedures were followed.
Wabara said the controversies surrounding the proposed 750-kilometre highway had raised questions about the management of public infrastructure projects under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration.
He stressed that projects of such strategic importance should be subjected to transparent procurement processes and appropriate regulatory oversight.
The PDP BoT chairman argued that questions surrounding the contract award, funding and environmental assessments warranted an independent review to determine whether the project complied with established requirements.
He also questioned the decision to realign sections of the highway towards existing roads, reportedly in response to climate change and other environmental concerns.
According to him, the development underscored the need to examine the adequacy of the original engineering plans and environmental assessments.
Wabara called for a comprehensive investigation into the conception, approval, contract award and implementation of the project, urging the relevant authorities to establish the facts and address any irregularities found.
He said public infrastructure projects should remain open to scrutiny, regardless of the level of government responsible for their execution.
“The secrecy, lack of public accountability and utter disregard for statutory frameworks are alarming and unacceptable in a democracy,” he said.
Wabara maintained that major infrastructure projects should be executed in accordance with the law, transparent procedures and established accountability mechanisms.
He also argued that the scale of public resources committed to the coastal highway made transparency essential, particularly amid the economic challenges facing Nigerians.
The former Senate President said citizens were entitled to information on how contracts were awarded, how public funds were utilised and whether the necessary legal and regulatory requirements had been met.
He urged the Federal Government to provide clear answers to the concerns raised and called on the relevant authorities to ensure accountability if any breaches were established.
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