The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has demanded transparency and an independent audit of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, asking the Federal Government to account for the funds spent, work completed and any alterations to the project.
Obi, through his media office, the Peter Obi Media Office (POMR), on Tuesday, also called for clear answers on the project’s current status, insisting that Nigerians deserved to know how public funds had been utilised and who would be held accountable if evidence of waste or mismanagement emerged.
According to the statement issued by the spokesman of POMR, Idris Zekeri Jnr, the former Anambra State governor renewed concerns over the government’s infrastructure priorities, particularly its decision to pursue the coastal highway amid the deterioration of roads across the country.
The statement recalled that Obi had earlier advocated the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s failing hinterland roads before the advancement of the ambitious coastal highway project, arguing that public resources should be directed towards projects capable of delivering the greatest benefits to the largest number of Nigerians.
According to the media office, the issues raised by Obi have yet to be satisfactorily addressed, despite the response by the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, to his criticisms.
POMR said fresh questions surrounding the project’s scope and reports of its truncation had made it necessary for the government to provide a comprehensive account of its implementation.
It asked the Federal Government to disclose the total amount spent on the project, the extent of work completed, the authorities responsible for approving any changes to its scope and the measures being taken to ensure accountability.
The statement said: “Nigerians are entitled to clear answers. How much money has been spent? What has been completed? Who approved any alterations, and who will be held responsible for any waste or mismanagement established by the evidence?”
It maintained that major public infrastructure projects should be subjected to scrutiny rather than treated as political achievements beyond public examination.
“Public projects are not political advertisements, and public funds are not private property,” the statement added.
The media office called for an independent audit of the project, alongside the publication of information that would enable Nigerians to assess its financial management, progress and overall value for money.
It also urged the Federal Government to stop interpreting criticism of its infrastructure decisions as a political attack, arguing that accountability should be recognised as an obligation of public officeholders.
The statement further clarified that Obi’s position was not against infrastructure development but was informed by concerns over the prioritisation of projects and the need to ensure that public expenditure produced measurable benefits for citizens.
“The government must stop portraying legitimate scrutiny as an attack and begin recognising accountability as an obligation,” POMR said.
It added that the controversy raised a fundamental question about the government’s response to criticism: “Why target the messenger when the message calls for answers?”
The media office concluded that transparency in the management of public resources would be a defining requirement in the Nigeria Obi envisaged.
The latest intervention comes amid continuing public debate over the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, one of the Federal Government’s major infrastructure projects under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The proposed highway is designed to connect Lagos with coastal communities and states along Nigeria’s southern corridor, with the government presenting it as a strategic investment in transportation, economic activity and national development.
However, the project has attracted criticism over its cost, prioritisation, procurement and potential environmental and social implications.
Obi has been among those questioning whether the government should prioritise the coastal highway while many existing roads, particularly those serving inland communities, remain in poor condition.
Umahi, who supervises federal road infrastructure, has defended the government’s approach to the project in previous public exchanges with critics, while the administration has maintained that the highway is important to the country’s long-term infrastructure development.
The renewed demand by Obi’s media office places the emphasis on the disclosure of expenditure, independent verification of work completed and clarification of any reported changes to the project’s scope.
However, the POMR statement did not provide figures for the expenditure incurred or details of the reported truncation. It also did not identify specific alterations or present evidence establishing financial mismanagement.
The demand for an independent audit therefore places the responsibility on the relevant authorities to clarify the project’s current status and provide verifiable information on its finances, implementation and approvals.
For POMR, the central issue is whether Nigerians can obtain a transparent account of how public funds have been spent on a major national infrastructure project.
