Former Lagos Governorship Candidate Criticises Lagos-Calabar Highway Project

Former Lagos State governorship candidate, Funsho Doherty, has criticized the construction of the Lagos-Calabar highway by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking with RadioNow’s Abiodun Adelowure, Mr. Doherty has explained that the APC’s approach to the construction is unlawful.

He stated that the decision to proceed without subjecting the large project to competitive bidding violates the Public Procurement Act. Adding that his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has initiated a legal challenge to the project.

 He said, “At the end of the day, a government sets its priorities. Of course, you can ask the question whether in the context of the Nigeria of today, given our massive budget deficit and the issues that we are grappling with, whether a 15 trillion road, new road, is a priority issue for us. That’s a discussion you can have. But, you know, there’s an elected government, there’s a cabinet, so they are elected to make that decision and they’ve made that decision. But if you do decide to do such a thing, you must do it in a way that is lawful and in a way that ensures that the public interest is not overwhelmed by commercial interests and commercial interests that are actually linked to some of the people who are in government. And so it is common sense that if you are doing a large project, you subject it to competitive bidding to see that you get the most value for your money. This is not an optional thing. There is a law, the Public Procurement Act, that requires it. And so choosing to go ahead as the government has done without going through that process, in our judgment, is unlawful. We have instituted an action in court to challenge it. And the mention has come and the hearing will happen in January, substantively, and the court will make that judgment.”

Mr Doherty further criticized the government for issuing trillion-naira contracts at a time when citizens are being asked to make unprecedented economic sacrifices.

“We think at a time, and this is important, at a time when you are asking people to make unprecedented economic sacrifices, you remove fuel subsidy, you freed in Naira at the same time, and so costs go through the roof and people’s costs of living skyrocket, all of which is caused by, if you really dig down, all of which at the root of it is profligate spending by government, inefficient spending by government in the past that gets us to this position. Now, you cannot at a time when that is going on now be issuing trillion Naira contracts in a way that is, in our view, unlawful and that almost guarantees that you will not get value for money to entities that it is widely known are affiliated to members within the present government. So, you know, to me, it is very clear, it’s very unconscionable.We will not sit back and allow that situation to stand. We believe it’s an affront to the people and somebody must stand up and we’re standing up and we’re going to cut about it. And at the end of the day, this is not about whether to do the road or not do the road, that is an executive decision.But to do the road, you must do it in a lawful way that ensures that the public interest, the public purse is protected at a time when everybody is making unprecedented sacrifices at the instance of the present government,” Said Mr Doherty.