Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, has accused President Bola Tinubu of a conflict of interest in the federal government’s awarding of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Hitech Construction Company Ltd.
In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku alleged that Seyi, Tinubu’s son, is a director on the board of CDK Integrated Industries, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group, which is also the parent company of Hitech Construction Company Ltd.
Atiku cited a report by the Paris-based Africa Intelligence News Agency, which revealed that Seyi is a formalized business partner with the owners of Hitech Construction Company Ltd. According to VeonewsNG, Seyi is listed as a director on the website of CDK Integrated Industries alongside Ronald Chagoury.
The former vice-president accused Tinubu of prioritizing his business interests and those of his family above the country’s wellbeing. He claimed that the coastal highway project was “rushed and without competitive bidding,” and that the awarding of the project was done without following due process.
Atiku stated that the project’s environmental impact assessment report was not completed, and the right of way for the 700 km stretch of the highway project was not secured. He also alleged that the project was converted from a public-private partnership (PPP) to a government-funded project without approval from the National Assembly.
Furthermore, Atiku claimed that the N500 million approved by the National Assembly for the project was ignored, and over N1 trillion was released by Tinubu’s administration without approval from the National Assembly. He described the project, which is estimated to cost over $13 billion, as a “rip-off” and accused Tinubu of putting his personal interests ahead of the Nigerian people.
Atiku’s allegations have sparked concerns about the transparency and accountability of the federal government’s infrastructure projects. The opposition party has been vocal in its criticism of the government’s handling of the economy and its management of public funds.