Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has strongly criticized the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, labeling it as wasteful and corrupt. He also condemned the Bola Tinubu administration for allocating N21 billion for a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, describing the expenditure as a misguided priority and a potential channel for embezzlement.
These remarks were made in Chapter Six of Obasanjo’s new book, Nigeria: Past and Future, where he reflects on the leadership styles of key executives at both federal and state levels. The book was unveiled to mark Obasanjo’s 88th birthday last week, alongside another new release.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, had previously announced that the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would cost N4.93 billion per kilometer. He explained that the contract, awarded on a counterpart-funding basis (not through Public-Private Partnerships), will begin its pilot phase at Eko Atlantic, terminating at the Lekki Deep Sea Port. So far, approximately N1.06 trillion has been allocated for the first phase, covering just six percent of the project.
Several prominent Nigerians, including 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, have raised concerns over the decision to award the contract to Hitech Construction Company, owned by Gilbert Chagoury, a long-time business partner of President Tinubu. The lack of competitive bidding has drawn considerable scrutiny.
In his assessment of Tinubu’s first two years in office, Obasanjo expressed concerns that the pattern of exploiting public resources for personal gain would persist, noting that “everything is said to be transactional” and that the prevailing attitude is “It is my turn to chop.”
When contacted, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga declined to respond to Obasanjo’s criticisms.
Obasanjo also criticized the general quality of leadership in the country, claiming that many who hold power—whether as governors, ministers, or local government officials—are ill-prepared and driven by self-interest, leaving the nation in a state of persistent poverty and underdevelopment. He lamented that many political aspirants are more interested in using their positions to enrich themselves and their associates, often leading the country in a worse state than they found it.
He highlighted the case of a governor whose business owed banks billions of naira and dollars before assuming office, only to clear those debts within two years without conducting any major business. Obasanjo suggested that the source of the funds remains unclear, pointing out that many such individuals use state resources for personal enrichment while offering little to public servants and loyalists in exchange for silence.
Further condemning the situation, he remarked that some leaders are dangerously deceptive, manipulating facts about contract awards, agreements, and national borrowings, thus making them unfit for leadership.
Obasanjo criticized the Lagos-Calabar project and the N21 billion spent on the Vice President’s residence as glaring examples of misplaced priorities. He questioned the rationale behind such large expenditures in a time of economic hardship, arguing that the focus should be on more pressing national issues.
Addressing the country’s governance challenges, Obasanjo called for a reevaluation of Western liberal democracy, suggesting that it might not be the right model for Nigeria. He proposed an African-centered approach, which he dubbed “Afrodemocracy,” that would incorporate African history, culture, and values. According to Obasanjo, this new form of democracy could offer a more effective governance structure that avoids the pitfalls of Western systems.
