Amanze Chinonye
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, has dismissed NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi’s criticism of the condition of the Asaba–Benin Road, insisting that the strategic federal highway is already undergoing full-scale reconstruction, Prime Business Africa reports.
The rebuttal followed Obi’s recent call on the Federal Government to prioritise the rehabilitation of existing federal roads over the initiation of new road projects. Obi had cited the Asaba–Benin corridor as an example of a critical highway whose poor condition continues to inflict hardship on commuters, transport operators and businesses.
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Responding in a statement posted on social media, Dada accused the former Anambra State governor of ignoring ongoing work on the road to score political points.
“I don’t know what to call this if it’s not mischievousness. I am sure Mr. Obi knows that this same road is currently under reconstruction, but his daily need to romance his gullible audience pushed him to this wall of deceit,” Dada said.
He explained that the 125-kilometre Asaba–Benin Highway reconstruction was flagged off in March 2025 and is scheduled for completion in September 2027.
According to him, the project is being fully financed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement and includes the construction of a 10-lane carriageway five lanes on each side from King Square to the Benin Bypass to improve traffic flow along the busy corridor.
Dada argued that the project forms part of the Tinubu administration’s broader road infrastructure programme, which he said involves the simultaneous reconstruction of more than 70 federal highways and other strategic road projects across the country’s 36 states.
Among the projects he listed are the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Dual Carriageway, Kano–Kongolam Road, Ibadan–Ife–Ilesa Road, Sokoto–Gusau–Funtua–Zaria Road, Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, Keffi–Nasarawa–Toto–Abaji Road Phase II, Enugu–Onitsha Expressway and the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue Trans-Saharan Superhighway.
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The presidential aide also shared what he described as an eyewitness account of construction activities on the Benin–Asaba Road recorded in March, maintaining that work is progressing on the project.
The exchange underscores the growing debate over the Federal Government’s road infrastructure programme ahead of the 2027 elections, with the opposition questioning whether deteriorating highways are receiving sufficient attention despite ongoing projects, while the Presidency maintains that major economic corridors across the country are already under reconstruction.
Dada concluded by accusing Obi of misrepresenting the facts regarding the status of the Asaba–Benin Road project.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
