Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, says there is a conflict of interest in the federal government awarding the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to Hitech Construction Company Ltd.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by his media Adviser, Paul Ibe.
Atiku has has been a vocal opposition to the move by the Federal Government to construct a 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal road, which is expected to run through the shoreline of beach resorts in Lagos while traversing eight other states.
The contract award, funding and demolition of over 50 business entities along the Lagos Shoreline has generated major criticism for the project.
In his latest criticism of the proposed infrastructure, Atiku said Seyi, the son of President Bola Tinubu, is a director on the board of CDK Integrated Industries, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group, which is also the parent company of Hitech Construction Company Ltd.
The former vice-president cited a recent report by the Paris-based Africa Intelligence News Agency that Seyi is a formalised business partner with the owners of Hitech Construction Company Ltd.
VeonewsNG gathered that Seyi is indeed listed as a director on the website of CDK Integrated Industries alongside Ronald Chagoury.
CDK Integrated Industries manufactures ceramic tiles and sanitary towels and is one of several subsidiary companies under the Chagoury Group, including Hitech Construction Company Ltd.
Abubakar accused Tinubu of prioritising his business interests and those of his family above the country’s wellbeing.
He claimed the coastal highway project was “rushed and without a competitive bidding”.
“Thanks to quality reporting by Africa Intelligence, our suspicions have been confirmed that Chagoury and Tinubu are indeed business partners and it has been formalized with Seyi on the board of one of Chagoury’s firms,” the statement reads.
“The awarding of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway was rushed; the environmental impact assessment report was not even completed; the right of way for the 700 km stretch of the highway project was not secured; it was converted from a PPP to a government-funded project within the twinkle of an eye.
“The N500m that was approved by the National Assembly for the project was ignored, while over N1tn was released by Tinubu’s administration without approval from the National Assembly.
“To add insult to injury, this project that is being done in excess of $13bn was awarded without a competitive bidding.
“From all indications, the so-called Badagry-Sokoto highway would be awarded in a similar fashion at an enormous cost to taxpayers purely because Tinubu has put his personal interest ahead of the Nigerian people.”
