Atiku alleges conflict of interest in Lagos-Calabar coastal highway contract

Atiku alleges conflict of interest in Lagos-Calabar coastal highway contract

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of giving priority attention to his personal business and those of his family members over national interest in the award of over $13bn Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to Hitech Construction Company Ltd.

Indeed, he alleged many issues were deliberately bypassed by the Tinubu regime to give the project to Hitech, the parent company of CDK Integrated Industries, where Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, is a director.

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, gave the comments on the project in a statement issued by Paul Ibe, his media aide, on Sunday.

Already, the Federal Government has commenced the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal road, which is expected to run through the shoreline of beach resorts in Lagos while traversing eight other states.

The project has generated controversy about funding the businesses that would be affected by the construction and the timing of its implementation.

In his latest criticism of the project, 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.

Seyi is listed as a director on the website of CDK Integrated Industries.

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.

He claimed the coastal highway project was “rushed and without a competitive bidding”.

He said, “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 700km 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.”