Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has dismissed reports of a growing rift between him and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, insisting that both politicians remain part of the same political family.
Umahi made the clarification in Abuja while addressing journalists on reports of divisions within the All Progressives Congress and speculation surrounding his relationship with Wike.
The Minister of Works described Wike as a progressive politician and said political opponents had exaggerated perceived differences between them.
“We need Wike as Wike needs us. So, it’s one family,” Umahi said.
He urged politicians to prioritise national development rather than allow political disagreements to distract from the Federal Government’s infrastructure agenda.
Wike remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party but has continued to support President Bola Tinubu. In January, he said his Rainbow Coalition was designed to advance the interests of the state through a broader political platform.
The development has generated political discussions ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly after the Progressive Governors Forum said it would not support political arrangements that could weaken Tinubu’s re-election campaign or the prospects of APC candidates.
Beyond politics, Umahi used the briefing to highlight the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects, revealing that the Ministry of Works inherited 2,068 ongoing projects with a combined value of about N13 trillion.
He argued that borrowing to finance infrastructure should be viewed as an investment where completed projects can generate economic returns and stimulate growth.
Umahi defends Lagos-Calabar highway procurement
The Minister also defended the procurement process used for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that Nigerian procurement laws provide for open competitive tendering, selective tendering and special procurement.
According to Umahi, the government opted for special procurement for the first phase because of the challenging coastal terrain and the need to engage a contractor with specialised experience in coastal engineering.
He said the process received approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council.
Umahi further disclosed that the international financing component of the coastal highway attracted bids exceeding the required amount by more than $100 million.
FG launches ‘Operation Rescue’ on Asaba-Benin road
On the deteriorating Asaba-Benin road, Umahi said the Federal Government had launched “Operation Rescue” following problems associated with the road’s concession.
He said the government had intervened in seven sections of the highway to restore traffic movement while plans were being developed to redesign and reconstruct the route with concrete pavement.
The minister also defended the government’s increasing preference for concrete roads, arguing that properly designed and maintained concrete highways could remain functional for several decades and potentially last up to 100 years.
Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road
Umahi said the Federal Government had completed the first 119-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.
He added that work on the second section, covering 164 kilometres, was expected to reach completion by November 15.
The minister said the scale of ongoing road construction demonstrated the Tinubu administration’s focus on infrastructure development across the country.
“There is no part of this country, there is no state that is not a construction site under President Bola Tinubu,” Umahi said.
