Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has declared that no opposition candidate in the 2027 presidential election can rival President Bola Tinubu’s record on infrastructure, insisting that the administration’s ongoing road projects will ultimately speak for themselves.
Umahi made the remarks on Monday while inspecting ongoing construction at Kilometre 118 of Section One of the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Kogi–Nasarawa–Abuja Superhighway in Ebonyi State.
According to the minister, the Tinubu administration’s massive investments in road infrastructure have laid the foundation for long-term economic growth, improved connectivity, and national integration, giving the President a strong record ahead of the 2027 general election.
He highlighted the Calabar–Abuja Superhighway as one of the Federal Government’s flagship projects, revealing that the completed road will cut travel time between Ebonyi State and Abuja to about three hours.
“If you are in Ebonyi, you will get to Abuja in about three hours. From the South-South, you can get to Abuja in about six hours when these projects are completed,” Umahi said.
The minister explained that the highway is designed to link the South-South, South-East and North-Central regions, facilitating faster movement of people and goods while boosting commercial activities.
He disclosed that the first section of the project covers approximately 123.5 kilometres, stretching from Cross River through Ebonyi to the Benue boundary, while the second section, spanning about 168 kilometres, has already been awarded. The second phase will pass through Benue, parts of Enugu and Kogi before terminating at Wote in Nasarawa State and connecting to Abuja.
Umahi added that the superhighway will integrate with other major federal road projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Makurdi–Ninth Mile Road, creating a strategic transportation corridor across Nigeria.
The minister commended the contractor, InfoQuest Nigeria Limited, for the quality and pace of work, noting that construction is progressing simultaneously from multiple locations to ensure timely completion.
He also praised H-Link Construction Company for its work on the Onueke Flyover, describing the company’s performance as impressive despite delays in payment.
In addition, Umahi announced that the Federal Government has approved the rehabilitation of the most deteriorated seven-kilometre section of the 19-kilometre Edembe Road in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, with construction expected to commence in August.
He appealed to the Ebonyi State Government to facilitate the removal of structures affected by the project’s right-of-way, particularly along the Enugu–Abakaliki Road corridor, to enable the construction of dual carriageways and flyovers.
Addressing concerns about whether completed sections of the superhighway would be opened to traffic before the entire project is finished, Umahi said construction would continue simultaneously across different segments without disrupting ongoing work.
“The first carriageway is already under construction while the second carriageway has been designed. Different engineering teams will handle different sections simultaneously,” he said.
Speaking on the 2027 presidential election, Umahi dismissed criticism from opposition figures, including Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, maintaining that the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure programme would ultimately be judged by its long-term impact on national development.
He argued that borrowing to finance critical infrastructure is an investment in Nigeria’s future, stressing that projects such as the Calabar–Abuja Superhighway, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway will transform the nation’s road network, stimulate economic growth and strengthen national unity.
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