National
477Km Cross River-Abuja superhighway project, Umahi meets N’Central govs, seek cooperation
By Abel Daniel, Lafia
The Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi on Saturday, met Governors and stakeholders from Nasarawa, Benue and Kogi States in the North Central region of the country to seek their support for the proposed 477 kilometers Cross River-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Apo superhighway which is to be constructed by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Speaking at a stakeholders engagement organised by the Federal Ministry of Works on the alignment of superhighways for the Renewed Hope Legacy Infrastructure Project, in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, Umahi explained that the project was beyond road construction, but an investment that would serve as a catalyst that will revive the economy of the country.
The Minister identified the proposed Cross-River-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Apo superhighway as a legacy project of the present administration which would bring a lot of benefits to all Nigerians, particularly to the residents of the benefiting states.
Omahi further reiterated the federal government’s commitment under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu to ensure the completion of the Lagos-Ondo-Edo-Delta-Bayelsa-Rivers-Akwa Ibom-Cross Rivers, and the Sokoto-Kebbi-Niger-Kwara-Oyo-Ogun-Badagry superhighways.
He said, “There are a lot of benefits because of these three superhighways. I want to assure that this is beyond road construction, but it is an investment. This is because it is a catalyst that is going to revive the entire economy of the country.
“I request that you buy into it and support Mr. President who still has about seven more years to deliver these projects. We believe that with these seven years, these three legacy projects shall be delivered.”
The Minister further disclosed that all the road projects would be reinforced with concrete to enable them last up to 50 years before any maintenance is required.
“Each of these sections are going to be on reinforced concrete. Each of these sections has six lanes. It also has a train track. We are also using solar streetlights.
“The benefits of these three legacy projects cannot be overemphasized. It is going to be done in concrete. Sokoto-Badagry has 53 dams on that section. Any road properly constructed on concrete, for the next 50 years, you will not touch it. Lagos-Calabar has a lot of potentials. In fact, we are aiming at finishing the first section 47.7km by May next year and we will be tolling it immediately,” he explained.
The Minister further informed the Governors and other North Central stakeholders at the meeting that the Federal Executive Council had directed that federal government projects spread across states that have remained uncompleted for a long period of time should be determined and priotized.
On their parts, Governors of the North Central geopolitical zone, as well as critical stakeholders particularly those of Nasarawa, Benue and Kogi States, commended President Bola Tinubu for conceiving the idea of the Renewed Hope Legacy Infrastructure Project.
Speaking for the Governors and other stakeholders, the Chairman of North Central Governors Forum, Abdullahi Sule thanked the federal government for embarking on such iconic projects that had been in the pipeline for decades, while expressing their commitments to give adequate cooperation for the success of the federal superhighway.
Sule said, “Let me sincerely appreciate Mr. President for this iconic project. Iconic in the sense that this is a project that has been in the pipeline before some of us were born. Indeed, today, we are seeing the realities of these road projects.”
While thanking all the stakeholders including the Governors and members of the National Assembly who took their time to be in attendance at the meeting, Governor Sule urged them to ensure that the needed cooperation is given to the Federal Ministry of Works on the construction of the superhighway and other projects in the North Central region.
Our correspondent reports that the CrossRiver-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Apo superhighway which would be an offshoot of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, is expected to cover a total of 477Kilometers among which the affected states in the North Central region would be 284Kilometers.
On the proposed new road, Nasarawa State has 95Kilometers; Kogi State, 111Km; Benue State, 66Km; while the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has 12Km.
National
Edo Governor Joins National Economic Deliberations
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, attended his inaugural National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday at the State House Council Chambers in Abuja.
The session was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The NEC serves as a vital forum for state governors, deputy governors, and the federal government’s economic team to discuss and address key economic challenges.
In a gesture to mark his first appearance, Governor Okpebholo was invited by Vice President Shettima to lead the opening prayer after the national anthem.
This event underscores Edo State’s active commitment to collaborating on national economic policies and driving solutions for Nigeria’s progress.
National
At Achebe Forum, Obasanjo Labels Nigeria a ‘Failing State’ Criticizes Tinubu’s Leadership
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed sharp criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that Nigeria’s decline is now evident to “every honest observer.”
Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in the U.S., Obasanjo attributed the country’s deteriorating state to leadership failure, pointing specifically to Tinubu’s governance, which he referred to as “Baba-go-slow and Emilokan.”
In his keynote address titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” Obasanjo highlighted that pervasive corruption and mismanagement have worsened Nigeria’s challenges, driving the country deeper into insecurity, division, and underdevelopment.
He quoted the late writer Chinua Achebe, who in his book The Trouble with Nigeria argued that the country’s fundamental problem is a failure of leadership, not a flaw in its people or resources. According to Obasanjo, this diagnosis remains as relevant today as it was over 40 years ago.
Obasanjo cited works by American experts Robert Rotberg and John Campbell, who have characterized Nigeria as a “failed state.” Their argument, he noted, suggests that Nigeria’s inability to maintain security and stability has serious implications for Africa and the world at large.
Additionally, the former President described “state capture” as a pressing issue in Nigeria, where powerful individuals and groups exploit government resources and policies for personal gain. Obasanjo argued that this corruption undermines national interests, with influential elites shaping the country’s legal and economic systems to benefit themselves. Such practices, he warned, compromise public welfare, affecting the quality of education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
In reflecting on Achebe’s legacy, Obasanjo praised the late author’s commitment to truth and the moral foundation he established for Nigeria. He urged Nigerians and the international community to recognize the dangers of state capture and work towards restoring a governance model that prioritizes the public good.
National
Sule Lamido, Shehu sani disagree over National Security Adviser
The senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani has disagreed with a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido over national security issues
Lamido had taken a strong position against the current National Security Advisor (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu accusing him of compromising his professional integrity and acting more like a spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu than fulfilling his constitutional role.
Sani advised Lamido to at least appreciate how the Tinubu led Administration tackled insecurity instead of politicizing it in his comment on the National Security Adviser.
Ribadu who was basking in the euphoria of the recent claims of decimating the insurgents cautioned anyone “not to dare Tinubu”, espercially the new Lakurawa Insurgents a development which infuriated the former governor of Jigawa State and a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP), prompting him to take to his verified facebook wall to describe the NSA as “loquacious, flippant and qualified to have been Tinubu’s Minsiter of Information instead of NSA.”
Lamido Criticizes NSA for Sycophantic Behavior, Urges Focus on Duties.
Lamido in his comment had expressed concerns over the NSA’s behavior, particularly his past actions as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under President Olusegun Obasanjo. Lamido reminded Nigerians of the NSA’s controversial remarks, including his public labeling of prominent governors—such as Tinubu, Kalu, and Akume—as the “most corrupt.” Lamido pointed out the stark contradiction between the NSA’s earlier criticisms and his current position, serving under the same figures he once condemned.
The former governor called the NSA’s decision to join the administration of President Tinubu—a leader he previously described as corrupt—a “singular mistake,” one that Lamido believes has tarnished the NSA’s credibility and character. “You are not a spokesperson for the President, you are a National Security Advisor,” Lamido emphasized, urging the NSA to return to the professionalism that has historically defined the role.
Lamido argued that previous holders of the NSA position, including the late Umaru Shinkafi, General Gusau, and Colonel Dasuki, all displayed discipline and a low profile, focusing on security matters without resorting to public displays or sycophantic behavior. Lamido lamented that the current NSA’s behavior reflects a departure from this standard, pointing to his increasingly vocal and partisan approach.
Rather than fulfilling his duties as an anonymous and diligent security advisor, Lamido claimed that the NSA’s moral dilemma and excessive displays of loyalty to the president have shifted him into the role of a “Minister of Information,” undermining the neutrality and importance of his position.
In closing, Lamido urged President Tinubu to allow his NSA to regain focus, remove his fears, and return to the professional standards expected of someone in such a sensitive and critical role. The criticism continued to ignite debates about the role of the NSA and the expectations of public office holders in Nigeria, with many calling for greater transparency and consistency from those in power.
Reacting, Shehu Sani countered Lamido in a statement on Friday in Abuja, saying there should be a credit and a commendation for an administration that inherited multi-faceted security challenges ,but which has been reduced to the barest minimum, wondering how the elderly statesman failed to acknowledge the many triumphs of government in bandits hotbed regions in the north.
Sani who served in the upper legislative Chamber in the 8th National Assembly said, he witnessed to the appropriation budget allocated to security which unfortunately did not abate security challenges before now, expressing that Nuhu Ribadu has achieved what many of his predecessors have failed to accomplish despite the hundreds of billions spent in the name of defence and security in the past;
According to him, bandits have been neutralized to a large extent, thus encouraging government in this direction until total victory should have been ideal rather than playing haywire politics which he said may not help the yet-volatile situation in the North.
He said: “Neutralisation of top bandit leaders, end to mass abductions of students in northern schools,
“Securing rail lines and major northern highways hitherto notorious for kidnappings. The prompt response to terrorist attacks on power lines is worth mentioning.
“Security challenges are not over but in all indices of comparison, he has performed better and set unprecedented records. His political critics are fully entitled to their views ,but his delivery on his mandate is unparalleled.”, Sani concluded.
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