By Odita Sunday
The Federal Government has ordered contractors working on the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway to leave buildings along the current route untouched until the alignment is reviewed, a move that could spare property owners from immediate demolition as construction gathers pace.
The Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, gave the directive on Friday, September 23, 2026, during an inspection of Phase Two of the highway at Ado in Benue State.
The statement was signed by Francis, Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works (Media), on September 26, 2026.
Umahi said contractors should work around buildings currently standing along the route while the Federal Government determines whether the alignment needs to be changed.
“My directive is that no building should be touched. Even if it’s within the alignment, I have to come and realign it. So you just have to continue your work and go around those buildings until we come to look at it,” he said.
The minister also ordered contractors to speed up work on the 173-kilometre Section Two of the project, valued at ₦683 billion. Section One, he said, is valued at ₦454 billion.
According to Umahi, the contractor handling Section Two has opened the first element of the initial eight kilometres, while engineers are working to resolve a challenge around the Ado Bridge.
He directed the contractor to open another section from the Ado River while the engineering team works on the best solution for the bridge.
“I do not believe in engineering that anything is impossible,” Umahi said.
He also ordered that at least three sections of the first element of Section Two be opened at the same time to quicken construction.
The minister praised the contractor for the progress made since his last visit.
“From the last time we were here until now, he has done very well, and I’m very proud of what he’s doing,” he said.
Umahi also directed that sharp curves along the highway be strengthened, saying engineers must be willing to adjust designs when conditions on the ground demand it.
He explained that the project was being executed under an EPC Plus Finance arrangement, under which variations are not provided for, making careful management of the available resources necessary.
The minister said additional work was also being carried out under Section One, including the dualisation of the road at Onueke and the dualisation at Chainage 0 around Ndibe Beach, which he said were outside the original scope.
Umahi later turned to criticism of the Federal Government’s infrastructure programme in the Southeast, rejecting claims that he had deliberately concentrated Federal Government projects in the region.
“I saw on social media where they say I cornered all projects to Southeast. That is very wonderful. But we have the publication of all projects ongoing by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, so they darken counsel without knowledge,” he said.
He stressed that the projects were part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader infrastructure programme and not a personal initiative.
“I’m not on my own. The President is my boss. So where will he be when I corner all projects to Southeast?” Umahi asked.
According to him, the Southeast may not be first, second or third in infrastructure development under the Tinubu administration, but “definitely they will not be the last.”
On the political situation in Ebonyi State, Umahi dismissed suggestions of a political “rainbow coalition” involving him and former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
“If Wike has candidates here, he has not told me. And his candidate cannot break our relationship, but his candidate is not part of our relationship,” he said.
Umahi again criticised the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi, recalling that he left the party after what he described as its failure to adequately recognise the interests of the Southeast.
“We supported PDP. We voted for presidents in PDP. And when it was our time for them to honour us, they did not honour us. They maltreated us,” he said.
He said political opponents were free to campaign in Ebonyi but warned against hate speech and attempts to cause trouble.
“Anybody that wants to campaign, come and campaign. But don’t dish out hate speeches and you want to take those speeches, and you want that we should lay a red carpet for you. We will not do that,” Umahi said.
The minister also defended the Tinubu administration’s infrastructure programme, urging Nigerians to judge it by projects being executed rather than promises about future projects.
“We tell our story. It’s not a question of saying, ‘I will do this, I’ll do this.’ What about the one that the person is doing? Let us compare the past with the present,” he said.
He cited the Ebonyi State ring road, recalling that the state borrowed $150 million to construct 199 kilometres of the road while he was governor. He argued that building the same road at current prices would require substantially more resources.
Responding to comments about savings by Peter Obi in Anambra, Umahi said, “You can’t save food where the people are hungry,” arguing that infrastructure investment creates assets that can support economic activity.
He disclosed that four legacy infrastructure projects of President Tinubu were being financed through a combination of Federal Government and foreign financing, with 30 percent funded in naira by the Federal Government and 70 percent through foreign financing.
Umahi rejected claims that existing roads had been abandoned for new projects, saying several of the legacy projects involve the expansion and reconstruction of existing road corridors.
On his criticism of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, Umahi said his concerns were based on policy, political messaging and what he described as the use of ethnic and tribal sentiments in political discourse.
He recalled working with Obi when both were governors and attending meetings of the Southeast Governors’ Forum.
Umahi said political promises should be judged against previous records and measurable achievements.
“If the past outing you cannot have something to verify, then you cannot be assured of the promises of the second time,” he said.
On the 2027 presidential election, Umahi said his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was based on his belief in the President’s vision and reforms.
“What gave rise is because I believe in President Bola Tinubu. I believe that he’s the one called of God. I believe in his vision. I believe in his reforms. I believe he’s the best person that I have worked with and for, and I’m very proud of working for him and working with him,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of continuity for major infrastructure projects that take several years to complete.
“If, God forbid, another person says he’s President, all these projects will be stalled. And I don’t think Ebonyi wants their projects to be stalled,” Umahi said.
The minister also addressed the nomination of his son by Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru as Chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area, clarifying that the nomination was made by the governor and not by him.
Umahi said he had advised his son to be transparent, honest and prudent in managing public funds and to ensure development was spread across all 11 council wards in Ohaozara.
“I’ve advised him, don’t do anything for the people of Uburu because you are from Uburu. It has to be equitably distributed among the eleven council wards in Ohaozara Local Government,” he said.
He said the nomination was personally significant to him because he viewed it as an appreciation of his relationship with the governor and the contributions of the past administration.
On the political situation in Ebonyi, Umahi said anyone seeking to campaign in the state was free to do so but warned against attempts to cause crisis.
“Nobody can foment crisis in Ebonyi State,” he said.
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