Umahi challenges Obi to debate over ‘offensive’ road picture

From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja

Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi has challenged the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi to a debate on the road infrastructure, saying taking a picture of a bad potion of a road for the purpose of campaign is in bad taste.

Umahi who spoke during the commissioning of Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Borno superhighway, yesterday in Nasarawa State, noted that Obi, having been a former governor, should know what governance is.

“I feel so sad, when my brother, the former governor of Anambra State, who should know what governance is, makes some remarks. I saw in social media where he got to a point where the road is bad and took a picture. This is bad for his dignity and personality.

“And I’m always ready, for a debate. I’m always ready to disaggregate the cost, unique cost of concrete and to debate with him. And so, I feel so sad because governance is the responsibility of everybody.”

He noted that the Federal Government would incorporate Yobe and from Yobe, Gombe to Maiduguri which entire stretch is 700 kilometers.

“Don’t forget that the first legacy project of Mr. President is 750, cutting through Lagos to  Ondo to  Edo to Delta, to Bayelsa to Rivers, to Akwa Ibom  and Cross River. And the third legacy project is taking off from Cross River where the first legacy project stopped. And that is going from Cross River to my state, Ebony where the first section is ongoing. The second section has just been approved and it is ongoing and it is going from the Ebonyi down to  Benue, down to the Benue Boundary, between Benue and Ebonyi. That’s another 168 kilometers that has been awarded” he stated.

President Bola Tinubu noted that the road is a legacy project approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)  and constructed in sections.

“ In section 1, phase 1 of the Akwanga-Maiduguri-Superhighway, it’s a 125-kilometer stretch spanning from Akwanga-Kaduna-Jos,  Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau states as part of the larger 700-kilometer Akwunga-Maduguri-Superhighway, cutting across five states, northeastern states of the country as follows.

“Akwanga-Kaduna-Jos, 125 kilometers; Jos-Bauchi, 135 kilometers; Bauchi-Gombe, 162 kilometers; Gombe-Biu, 125 kilometers. Biu to Maduguri, 188 kilometers, spanning 700 kilometers in all. They are both distances connecting communities, cities, from one of the most important inland passages in the country,” he said.