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Afenifere Asks National Assembly To Begin Tinubu’s Impeachment Over Lagos-Calabar Highway Contract Violations

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3 weeks ago

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The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has called on the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against President Bola Tinubu over alleged conflict of interest in the award of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract.

The Afenifere leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, expressed disappointment at Tinubu’s recent public declaration that the contractor handling the project, Gilbert Chagoury, was his partner during the inauguration of Kilometer, Phase 1, Section 1 of the coastal highway project.

“All President Tinubu is doing is building a road to his own Atlantic City,” Olaitan said in an interview with PUNCH.

“He openly said the contractor is his partner. That means he awarded a federal contract to himself.”

Olaitan questioned the rationale behind commissioning just a small portion of the highway, suggesting that the government may have no further intention of pursuing the full stretch of the coastal road once the portion leading to Atlantic City is completed.

“Why commission just four per cent of the road? That road leads straight to their private development. If that part is done, they may abandon the rest. This is a clear conflict of interest,” he insisted.

The Afenifere leader called on lawmakers to take action, saying, “The National Assembly must prove that it is not complicit. If they are truly independent, they must act now. We cannot condone this. This is not how to run a democracy. The president has admitted to a breach of public trust.”

“I am calling on the National Assembly to start the impeachment process now if they are a truly independent and vibrant national assembly and if they are not equally complicit. We can’t condone such a thing,” Olaitan added.

SaharaReporters reports that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract is being executed by Hitech Construction Company, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group, which also spearheads the Eko Atlantic City project; an ambitious real estate development built on reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean.

President Tinubu, while inaugurating the project last Saturday, praised the Chagoury-led Hitech Construction Company for its work on the road, describing it as a “symbol of courage and commitment”.

“To the contractors and my partner in daring, it was tough for us… We came together to tame the Atlantic,” Tinubu said.

The project, valued at N15 trillion, spans 700 kilometers across nine coastal states, including Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.

SaharaReporters had reported that the project Tinubu awarded to his associate’s Chagoury without any competitive bidding, and the contract was awarded on a single-source basis, contravening the Public Procurement Act and Environmental Impact Assessment Act.

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Politics

Imo: Reps seek FG’s intervention over devastating erosion in Ideato federal constituency

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12 hours ago

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June 26, 2025

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The House of Representatives on Thursday declared Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo state as an erosion and road disaster zone, calling for urgent intervention from Federal Government and relevant agencies intervention to save Ideato from total collapse.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, who solicited for the House intervention.
Leading the debate, Rep. Ugochinyere noted that Section 14(2b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) stated that the primary purpose of Government is to protect the lives and properties of the Citizens.
He also noted the devastating impact of the gully erosion and road disaster in Ideato Federal Constituency, affecting over thirty-two communities including Umueshi, Amanator, Urualla, Isiekenesi, Isiokpo, Umuaghobe,Ozuomee, Obodoukwu, Arondizuogu, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku, Umuobom and surrounding areas.
He expressed concerns that these Communities in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency are currently facing gully erosion and road infrastructure collapse , threatening their lives and access to essential services like healthcare, education, trade and road infrastructures.

Rep. Ugochinyere said: “The House is alarmed that the gully erosion and road infrastructure collapse has worsened, destroying homes, farmlands, causing total road collapse, in Umueshi-Amanator-Isiekenesi road, particularly the Urualla gigantic erosion sites 1, 2, and 3, which is currently threatening to sink the heart of Urualla and Afor Urualla, Umueshi, Amanator, Isiekenesi, Isiokpo, Umuaghobe, Ozuomee, Obodoukwu, Arondizuogu, Akokwa, Umumaisiaku communities and Umuobom Bridge; Recalls that Ideato land is home to influential national figures and patriots like Mbaonu Ojike, K.O. Mbadiwe, Elochukwu Njaka,Collins Obi, Ferdinand Anaghara, and Maduakor, hence the need for urgent intervention to preserve their ancestral heritage.
“The House commends the Federal Government’s previous intervention at the Umuchima gully erosion site, which has been taken over by the Imo State Government.
“The House is aware that the erosion has destroyed lives and properties and if nothing is done urgently to curb the menace more lives and properties will be lost,” he stressed.
Adopting the motion unanimously, the House therefore urged Federal Government to declare Ideato Federal Constituency an erosion and road disaster zone, and take drastic steps to curtail gully erosion and road collapse in the communities in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency.
The lawmakers also urged the Federal Ministries of Works, Environment, Ecological Fund Office, Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to embark on immediate intervention, rehabilitate, reconstruct and remedial works on the Umueshi Amanator- Isiekenesi gully erosion and collapsed Road, Urualla gigantic gully erosion sites 1, 2, and 3, Afor Urualla communities, Isiokpo gully erosion, Umuaghobe , Umumaisiaku, Akpulu, Akokwa, Obodoukwu and Arondizuogu gully erosion and collapsed road, and the sinking Bridge in umuobom.
The lawmakers further urged Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and to provide relief materials for the displaced victims of the gully erosion in Ideato North/South Federal Constituency, Imo State.
To this end, the House mandated the joint Committees on Works, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Environment Ecological Fund, South-East Development Commission (SEDC) and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to ensure compliance and report within four weeks for further legislative action.

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Politics

President Tinubu declines assent to NDLEA Amendment Bill

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13 hours ago

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June 26, 2025

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President Bola Tinubu has declined assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Amendment Bill, 2025, recently passed by the National Assembly.

The bill proposes granting the NDLEA the power to retain a portion of the proceeds from drug related crimes in variance to the current legal framework.

This is communicated to the House of Representatives as read during plenary on Thursday, by the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas.

President Tinubu, who cited Section 58, Subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution, said that the bill, if signed, was a contravention of the aforementioned sections.

Tinubu clarified that under existing law, all proceeds from crime must be deposited into the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account.

He explained that any disbursement to relevant agencies involved in recoveries must be made by the President, and only with the approval of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly.

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Politics

APC suffers heavy blow as Ganduje’s loyalist dumps party for NNPP

Published

19 hours ago

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June 26, 2025

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A long-standing confidant of APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has left the ruling party to join the opposition New Nigeria’s People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano.

Mustapha Hamza Buhari Bakwana, a well-known grassroots mobilizer and former political adviser to Ganduje during his tenure as governor officially joined the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) on Wednesday.

This means he has also dumped his role as Senior Legislative Aide to Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibril.

Standing before his loyal supporters in Kano, said, “We gave everything to the APC — time, loyalty, sweat. But what did we get in return? Silence, neglect and betrayal. Enough is enough,” he said.

“We’ve chosen to pitch our tent with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a man who doesn’t forget his people. He understands the game of politics and plays it with honor.”

Once seen as one of Ganduje’s most trusted strategists in the North West, Bakwana’s departure could signal deeper cracks in the party’s foundations especially as the 2027 elections draws nearer.

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