Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that the cost of constructing the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway was grossly overstated.
Atiku, who made the statement on Wednesday, also called for an independent value-for-money audit to be carried out on the project.
He added that all payments for the project should be suspended until Nigerians were convinced that it truly served the nation’s interest.
A statement released by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, explained that Atiku had earlier warned that the project’s cost was inflated to an excessive N8 billion per kilometre when the Tinubu administration unveiled it.
He expressed disappointment that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had at the time dismissed the allegation, insisting that the cost was around N4 billion rather than N8 billion.
According to the statement, the same minister has now reversed his position, admitting that the actual cost is indeed close to ₦8billion per kilometre—precisely what Atiku had earlier cautioned Nigerians about.
“This admission not only vindicates the former vice president’s position but also exposes the Tinubu administration’s lack of transparency in managing one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in Nigeria’s history,” the statement said.
