4 weeks ago
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A heated speech ensued connected Tuesday betwixt Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, and ARISE News meal amusement anchor, Rufai Oseni, during a unrecorded broadcast of ‘The Morning Show’ arsenic some men clashed implicit the outgo and details of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway task and the contention surrounding Winhomes Estate.
The face-off began erstwhile Umahi expressed displeasure implicit what helium described arsenic “damaging information” dished retired earlier by Oseni connected the programme connected Monday erstwhile a PDP chieftain, Otunba Segun Showunmi, featured.
“Before we proceed, I would similar to speech astir the Lagos–Calabar coastal road due to the fact that I listened to Otunba Segun Showunmi connected the programme yesterday, and I was precise displeased with a fig of damaging accusation that Rufai dished retired to the public,” Umahi said.
“Rufai was precise incorrect erstwhile helium said that I was struggling to springiness figures connected the Lagos–Calabar coastal road cost. That is precise disrespectful due to the fact that this is my profession. I was successful your studio, and I ran the figures from the take-off expanse and arrived astatine the cost.”
The curate accused Oseni of trying to “learn engineering from the backmost door,” saying it was unreasonable to request a azygous outgo per kilometre for the full project.
“What Rufai is asking maine to bash is to springiness him the outgo per kilometre from conception 1 astatine Ahmadu Bello Way successful Lagos down to Cross River, Calabar, and that is precise unfortunate. There are nary 2 sections of immoderate roadworthy task wherever 1 kilometre costs the aforesaid arsenic another. I thought I had sufficiently explained the outgo of the coastal highway,” Umahi added.
He went further to explicate that “30 per cent of the constituent is naira-denominated portion the different 70 per cent is simply a non-naira component.”
According to him, “the non-naira constituent was enactment retired to the nationalist by a improvement bank, and the subscription was oversubscribed by $100 cardinal due to the fact that they said the outgo of the coastal road was precise cheap. They adjacent came to the tract to inquire astir the standard.”
Umahi accused the ARISE News Channel’s anchor of “inciting” the nationalist with misleading claims.
“What Rufai said was precise inciting, and I deliberation helium is precise bully astatine doing that. He should desist from it due to the fact that it is actionable,” the Minister warned.
Turning to the Winhomes Estate controversy, Umahi said Oseni had “deliberately refused to recognize the truth.”
“The pistillate successful complaint of Winhomes development, from disposable facts earlier me, bought 12 hectares of onshore from the villagers successful 2022 for ₦50 cardinal — not successful dollars. As of 2021, she had started selling, but the papers I person shows she bought the onshore successful 2022,” the curate said.
He posed respective questions, “Who are these investors? Was the onshore decently bought from the natives? Did you registry with the Lagos State Government? Who are the radical that bought these lands — was it successful naira oregon dollars?”
Umahi revealed that journalists, including those from ARISE News, visited the tract and “did not observe immoderate grounds that 1 gathering was demolished.”
“There was nary rubble, nary vegetation indicating reclamation, and nary grounds of Lagos State Government approval,” helium stated.
At this point, Oseni interrupted the minister, alleging that Umahi had antecedently “reported him to President Bola Tinubu.”
“I person a close to reply. After you went to study maine to President Tinubu, you are present with maine again. It is evident you came for me,” Oseni said.
But the curate swiftly dismissed the claim, “You are excessively tiny for maine to study you to the President. Who are you for maine to study you?”
The fiery speech continued arsenic Oseni pressed further connected the cost-per-kilometre question connected the project.
“My question inactive persists arsenic regards the per kilometre. You cannot archer maine that we don’t person the close to cognize the outgo per kilometre adjacent if it’s an undulating landscape. Give america each the facts and details of the outgo per kilometer,” Oseni demanded.
Umahi, visibly irritated, fired back, “Asking maine to springiness the outgo per kilometre is nonsensical. You don’t recognize anything. I americium a prof successful this field.”
Oseni retorted, “What assemblage gave you professorship successful this field? I didn’t cognize you were Professor Umahi, Minister. What assemblage gave you professorship successful engineering?”
“I americium a prof successful practice,” Umahi replied. “I recognize engineering precise well, and you person nary cognition of what you are asking me.”
When the speech shifted backmost to the Winhomes Estate tribunal case, Oseni queried wherefore Umahi was discussing a matter...
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