National
Abuja-Kaduna, Zaria-Kano roads to be completed in 10 months–FG
The Federal Government says the Abuja-Kaduna and Zaria-Kano road projects will be completed on May 29, 2025.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, made this known during the inauguration of the completion of the Abuja-Kaduna – Zaria – Kano Highway on Saturday along Abuja-Kaduna highways.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event also witnessed the unveiling of the “Operation Free Our Roads’’ initiative aimed at ensuring that all federal roads are accessible.
Umahi added that the event was also to handover the 38km dual carriageway section of the road to Dangote Group of Companies and the unveiling of the “Operation Free our Roads” project.
He explained that the road project would be completed by three construction companies; Dangote, Julius Berger and BUA.
“The project started with a mere rehabilitation under the past administration for N155 billion and later the scope was expanded and the price was increased to N655 billion.
“When we came onboard in September last year Julius Berger made request for a reviewed price of N1.5 trillion and that’s where the quarrel started.
“However, we have been able to agree, and then we got an independent consultant, who reviewed the project between Berger and the Ministry of Works and that was about nine months back,” he said.
Umahi said that the project cost was reviewed to about N888 billion with a difference of 640 billion from what Berger needed for the dualisation of the three lanes road.
He said that Berger would be completing their section of the road which is 82 kilometres for about 320 billion Naira.
He added that the Dangote’s section which is about 38 kilometres would cost 126 billion Naira, while the BUA section which 8.66 kilometres times two would cost 41.9 billion Naira.
“However, the Dangote’s section is going to increase in terms of scope and we are reviewing the rate I agree with them because of the cost of things.
“We have agreed in the Ministry of Works that we are going to review it to the price that is reasonable so that they will do the job.
“It is not offering the price that is the issue, but we have to come to a compromise between the contractors and the ministry of works bearing in mind the economic situation.
“When we have reasonable price, the work will be done and then more scope would be covered but if I have unreasonable price, then it becomes a problem which we will not achieve much,’’he said.
Umahi called on the companies handling the three sections of the project to show absolute devotion to the completion of the project.
He assured them that the ministry would look at the need for project rate review to cushion the effects of the increase in material costs since the last review was done about nine months ago.
“So the first section of the work is starting today, with palliatives and earthworks, and then they will now start to put reinforced concrete pavement.
“So what we will be discussing with Berger is what we can do to finish this job within May 29. This is very important because we don’t want to stay here beyond May 29, 2025.
“However, what Berger cannot finish, we will have to take it over and give to Dangote under tax credit and for reinforced concrete pavement,” he said. (NAN)
The house of representatives has resolved to investigate the N1.1 trillion Sukuk road projects from 2017 to 2024.
The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during the plenary on Wednesday following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Gaza Gbefwi, a lawmaker from Nasarawa.
The investigation aims to uncover and identify “instances of diversion, inflation, or contractor non-compliance” in the execution of the road projects.
While moving the motion, Gbefwi said a report by the Debt Management Office (DMO) shows it raised over N1.1 trillion through six sovereign Sukuk issuances to finance 124 federal road projects spanning 5,820 kilometres across the six geopolitical zones.
The lawmaker highlighted the breakdown of Sukuk financing as follows: N100 billion in 2017, N100 billion in 2018, N162.557 billion in 2020, N250 billion in 2021, N130 billion in 2022, and N350 billion in 2023.
He said reports suggest that an additional N150 billion was issued in October 2023, bringing the cumulative total to approximately N1.242 trillion by the end of 2024.
“Despite this significant investment, Nigeria’s road infrastructure remains in a deplorable state, with over 70 percent of the country’s 200,000-kilometer road network still unpaved, as noted by S&P Global Ratings in January 2024,” he said.
“Without robust accountability mechanisms, the Sukuk programme risks becoming a conduit for mismanagement or corruption.”
The motion was adopted when it was subjected to a voice vote by Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker, who presided over the plenary.
Consequently, the house mandated the committee on works to conduct a “forensic probe” into the allocation, expenditure, and outcomes of the N1.242 trillion Sukuk fund.
The parliament also directed the federal ministry of works to provide detailed records of all Sukuk-funded projects, including financial disbursements, project statuses, and updated contractors’ performance.
National
INEC Notifies Natasha Akpoti Of Recall Move, Confirms Receipt Of Petitioners’ Contact Details
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written to notify Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, about the petition by constituents seeking her recall from the national assembly.
INEC said it has also received the contact details of the petitioners.
“Pursuant to section 69 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I write to notify you of the receipt of a petition from representatives of registered voters in your constituency seeking your recall from the senate,” the letter reads.
“The notification is in line with the provisions of clause 2 (a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.
“This letter is also copied to the presiding officer of the senate and simultaneously published on the commission’s website. Thank you.”
The letter was signed by Ruth Oriaran Anthony, secretary to the commission.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Wednesday, INEC said it has now received the updated contact details from representatives of petitioners seeking to recall the senator.
In the statement, Sam Olumekun, INEC’s national commissioner and chairman of information and voter education, said a letter notifying the senator of the petition has been delivered to her official address, copied to the senate presiding officer, and published on the commission’s website.
“The next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the constituency. This will be done in the coming days,” Olumekun said.
“The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission. We once again reassure Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan had recently accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexually harassing her.
The allegation came in the wake of her seating arrangement altercation between Akpabio and the Kogi central senator at the red chamber
She was subsequently suspended from the senate for six months for “gross misconduct” over the incident.
The constituents behind the recall move also alleged her of “gross misconduct, abuse of office, and deceitful behaviour”.
The senator has denied wrongdoing and called the recall effort a “coordinated suppression” of her voice.
….Says Ibas only Accountable To Tinubu,Wike Only
The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) in the United States has rejected the appointment of Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as sole administrator of Rivers state.
BACKGROUND
On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, citing the protracted political crisis and vandalisation of oil facilities.
The president suspended Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers state governor, Ngozi Odu, his deputy, and all house of assembly members for six months.
Tinubu also appointed Ibas as the sole administrator for Rivers state.
On March 20, the senate and the house of representatives controversially ratified Tinubu’s request for the emergency rule.
The presidency had said the decision to prevent further escalation of the political crisis in south-south state.
A statement on Wednesday by Lloyd Ukwu, NADECO USA president, said Ibas would only be accountable to Tinubu, Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory(FCT), and not the people of Rivers state.
Ukwu claimed that Tinubu lacks the constitutional authority to suspend Fubara and appoint a sole administrator, describing the appointment as “illegitimate”.
“Nigeria operates as a federation, with Rivers State as a sovereign entity, and Tinubu, as President, lacks the constitutional authority to unilaterally suspend an elected governor like Fubara,” he said.
“Rivers State is not a subordinate institution, neither is it a High School and Tinubu is not its overseer and not the Principal of a high school who can suspend a student willy-nilly.
“In a democracy, sovereignty resides with the citizens, not with an unelected administrator or an aspiring autocrat or want-to-be civilian dictator in Abuja.
“Governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed—leaders are entrusted with the power to serve the people, not to rule over them by imposing an administrator over them.
“The people of Rivers State exercised their democratic right in 2023 by electing Siminalayi Fubara as their governor.
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“They did not choose an imposed administrator. NADECO therefore demands the immediate resignation of this illegitimate appointee.
“True democracy requires that governance be rooted in the people’s will, expressed through free and fair elections.
“This imposed administrator is accountable not to Rivers people but to Tinubu, Akpabio, Kereke-Ekun, and Wike. His allegiance lies with these political actors, not with the citizens he claims to govern.
“The principle of ‘Power to the People’ is enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution and international human rights instruments, including the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“Upholding this principle, NADECO insists that Rivers people must completely and resolutely reject this illegal administrator, forcing his resignation. Anything less is unacceptable.”