Lagos -Calabar Coastal Road: Obasanjo Jealous of Tinubu’s Achievements, Ohanaeze Alleges
Onyekachi Nnabu
The apex Igbo sociocultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s criticism against Lagos -Calabar Coastal Road was rooted in envy and jealousy which was strategically designed to undermine the re-election prospects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the forthcoming 2027 elections.
However, contrary to Obasanjo’s claim, the apex body noted that the project would stimulate unprecedented economic activity and social progress.
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In a statement issued by the National Deputy President of the Organisation, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said that by maligning this project, Mr. Obasanjo laid bare his insecurities, fearing that another President of Yoruba descent may indeed outshine his own historical legacy as both a former military leader and elected civilian President.
Isiguzoro stressed that Mr. Obasanjo has seemingly positioned himself as the leader of a coalition of opposition that persistently casts doubt on the accomplishments of the present administration, seeking, through every available means, to delegitimize the very initiatives that hold the potential to uplift the nation.
According to Ohanaeze Ndigbo: “in stark contrast, we find the recent assertions made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo—characterizing this transformative project as wasteful and symptomatic of misplaced priorities—to be not only misguided but imbued with a disheartening undercurrent of envy”.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo unequivocally dismisses Obasanjo’s claims as an expression of jealousy, strategically designed to undermine the re-election prospects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the forthcoming 2027 elections”.
“Indeed, it is imperative to recognize that Mr. Obasanjo has seemingly positioned himself as the leader of a coalition of opposition that persistently casts doubt on the accomplishments of the present administration, seeking, through every available means, to delegitimize the very initiatives that hold the potential to uplift our nation”.
“This campaign is not merely a series of unsubstantiated criticisms but rather a concerted effort aimed at dismantling the progress that has been made under President Tinubu’s tenure”
The body further described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway as one of several pivotal projects poised to redefine the nation’s infrastructural landscape, stressing “by maligning this project, Mr. Obasanjo lays bare his insecurities, fearing that another President of Yoruba descent may indeed outshine his own historical legacy as both a former military leader and elected civilian President”.
Isiguzoro however commended Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, whose exceptional leadership and engineering prowess set a high bar for excellence in the delivery of quality road infrastructure across Nigeria.
“Any attempt by Mr. Obasanjo and his affiliated opposition figures to undermining the integrity or effectiveness of Minister Umahi’s work will be met with resolute resistance and condemnation”.
“It is abundantly clear that such disparagement springs from a place of fear—fear that the infrastructural advancements being realized today may overshadow the accomplishments of former administrations, particularly Obasanjo’s, he added.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo therefore implored President Tinubu and Minister Umahi to see these criticisms not as a deterrent, but rather as fuel for their commitment to continuously provide innovative legacy projects that address the nation’s infrastructural deficits.
The apex body assured that it remains steadfast in its endorsement of the current government’s vision, urging unity among all Nigerians in the quest for prosperity, and advocating for a future where infrastructural excellence flourishes unfettered by the divisive echoes of the past.
