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Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has rejected speculation that his relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has deteriorated, saying both men remain members of the same political family.
Umahi made the clarification on Wednesday at a press briefing in Abuja while addressing reports of disagreements within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and claims of a strained relationship between him and Wike.
According to the Works Minister, political opponents had amplified whatever differences existed between them, stressing that their relationship remained cordial.
“We need Wike as Wike needs us. So, it’s one family,” Umahi said.
He maintained that disagreements among politicians should not overshadow the need to pursue development, particularly when those involved share broader political interests.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had earlier described his rainbow coalition as a political movement designed to go beyond the traditional approach to party politics while advancing the interests of Rivers State.
The Progressive Governors Forum, however, has maintained that it would not back alliances or political arrangements that could work against President Bola Tinubu’s re-election effort or the interests of APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Umahi also used the briefing to highlight the activities of the Ministry of Works, revealing that the ministry inherited 2,068 projects with an estimated value of N13 trillion.
He argued that borrowing to finance infrastructure should not automatically be viewed negatively, particularly where the resulting projects can generate economic returns and support growth.
On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the minister defended the procurement procedure adopted by the Federal Government.
He explained that procurement laws permit several approaches, including open competitive tendering, selective tendering and special procurement.
According to Umahi, the first phase of the coastal highway was awarded through special procurement because of the technical demands of the terrain and the requirement for a contractor with specialised expertise in coastal engineering.
He said the process was approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement and subsequently received the backing of the Federal Executive Council.
Umahi further disclosed that the project’s external financing component attracted interest from international financiers exceeding the required amount by more than $100 million.
Turning to the Asaba-Benin road, the minister said the Federal Government had initiated “Operation Rescue” after challenges emerged from the road’s concession arrangement.
He said intervention had already taken place on seven sections to improve movement, while the government was preparing to redesign and reconstruct the road with concrete pavement.
Umahi also defended concrete construction for major highways, arguing that properly designed and maintained concrete roads could offer long-term durability and potentially remain functional for up to 100 years.
He disclosed that 119 kilometres of the first section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road had been completed, while work on the 164-kilometre second section was expected to be completed by November 15.
The minister said the projects being executed nationwide were part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to close the country’s infrastructure gap and improve transportation links between different communities and regions.
“There is no part of this country, there is no state that is not a construction site under President Bola Tinubu,” Umahi said.
