Atiku alleges Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road contract links to Tinubu’s business relationship with Gilbert Chagoury, owner of Hitech

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, displaying a searchlight on public probity, alleged that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which contract is on the speed lane, has a link to perceived business relationship  between President Bola Tinubu and Gilbert Chagoury, owner of Hitech, the contractor constructing the highway.

Atiku, in a statement, alleged that the son of the President, Seyi Tinubu, is a director on the board of CDK Integrated Industries, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group, which manufactures ceramic tiles and sanitary towels.

According to Atiku, in the statement, “the Coastal Highway project is being expedited solely due to the business ties between President Tinubu and Gilbert Chagoury, the owner of Hitech, the contractor responsible for the highway project.”

The former Vice President revealed that the contract was granted in violation of procurement regulations.
He argued that “the involvement of President Bola Tinubu’s son and his associates on the boards of companies belonging to Gilbert Chagoury presents a clear conflict of interest”.

The former Vice President maintained that the federal government rushed the award of contract for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. He noted the environmental impact assessment report was not even completed and the right of way for the 700 km stretch of the highway project was not secured.

Design photo of Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway

He disclosed that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project was converted from a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to a government-funded project within the twinkle of an eye.

He added that the N500 million that was approved by the National Assembly for the project was ignored by the President, while over N1 trillion was released by the Tinubu administration without approval from the National Assembly.

Atiku protested that rather than enhancing the ease of doing business, the Tinubu administration demonstrates to the global community that his business endeavours and those of his family would consistently take precedence over national interests.

Atiku pointed out that Lagos-calabar Highway that is being done with over $13 billion was awarded without competitive bidding.

The former Vice President also stated that the ‘so-called’ Badagry-Sokoto Highway would be awarded similarly at an enormous cost to taxpayers purely because Tinubu has put his interest ahead of the Nigerian people.

Atiku was of the view that the demolition of tourist and recreational facilities and other properties within the Oniru corridor, including parts of Landmark, without ample notice, is one of the reasons foreign direct investments continue to elude the country.

According to him, “in more orderly environments, establishments like Landmark would have been provided with a minimum of two years’ notice to facilitate proper planning.”

Atiku decried that President Tinubu claimed to have secured over $30 billion investments from various foreign companies, but none has been forthcoming.

“Rather, all manufacturing firms have been posting heavy losses while some are exiting due to his poorly implemented exchange rate unification policy with even Aliko Dangote describing it as a huge mess at the recent annual general meeting of Dangote Sugar Refinery,” Atiku said.