LAGOS AUGUST 24TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Peter Obi, a former Anambra State governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticised the Bola Tinubu-led government over its infrastructure priorities, urging it to focus on reconstructing and maintaining existing roads rather than commencing new projects.
Obi made the remarks in a statement shared on X while describing the worsening condition of Nigeria’s roads and the hardship it is causing commuters and businesses. He said the situation had turned journeys that ordinarily take a few hours into prolonged ordeals for Nigerians.
The former Anambra governor gave a personal example of the worsening situation, saying a person who left Onitsha for Lagos on a Sunday morning had still not arrived by the time Obi left Lagos at 8pm the following day. According to him, the traveller eventually arrived in Lagos at about 2pm the next day.
“A journey that usually takes a maximum of 8 hours now takes nearly two days,” Obi said, stressing that the situation should concern the government because of its wider impact on citizens and economic activities.
He said the crisis goes beyond the poor condition of roads, noting that prolonged journeys result in lost man-hours, stranded passengers sleeping on highways, wasted fuel, damaged vehicles and delayed movement of goods.
According to Obi, businesses also bear significant financial losses when poor road conditions and traffic congestion prevent goods and people from reaching their destinations on time.
He said the economic cost of the infrastructure crisis should be considered when government makes decisions on new projects.
Obi maintained that government should prioritise the reconstruction and maintenance of existing roads and other infrastructure before embarking on new projects.
He argued that Nigerians need functional infrastructure that makes everyday life and economic activity easier rather than projects pursued mainly for public visibility.
“Nigerians do not need new projects just for the headlines. We need functional roads that make life and economic activity possible,” he said.
The NDC presidential candidate also argued that the value of infrastructure should not be measured by the size or cost of a project but by the number of lives and livelihoods it improves.
He called for a shift in government priorities towards projects that directly address the difficulties Nigerians face, insisting that a new Nigeria remains possible.
Parallel Facts
For advertisement placement, events coverage, media consultancy, placement of publications and further enquiries please WhatsApp 2348023773039 or email: labakevwe@yahoo.com
