The Presidency issued a stern rebuttal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s assertions regarding the awarding of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway contract, denouncing his claims of conflict of interest as baseless and misleading.
In a statement released on Monday, titled ‘Atiku Abubakar’s penchant for distorting facts,’ and signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency challenged Atiku’s credibility, highlighting his past infractions and business entanglements.
Disputing Atiku’s allegations that the road project was awarded to Hitech Construction Company due to its purported ties to President Bola Tinubu, the Presidency contended that Atiku lacked moral authority to raise questions of conflict of interest, citing his own history of business dealings while serving in public office.
The statement questioned the integrity of Atiku’s accusations, particularly given his involvement in forming Intels Nigeria during his tenure in the Nigeria Customs Service, a move deemed a violation of public service regulations.
Furthermore, the Presidency criticized Atiku for allegedly facilitating the sale of numerous state-owned enterprises to his associates during his tenure as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation.
In response to Atiku’s insinuation that Seyi Tinubu’s position on the board of CDK, a tiles manufacturing company, influenced the awarding of the highway contract, the Presidency defended Seyi’s right to engage in lawful business activities, emphasizing that his association with CDK did not conflict with the highway project.
Moreover, the Presidency dismissed Atiku’s concerns regarding the demolition of buildings for the Lagos-Calabar highway, asserting that such infrastructure development initiatives would attract investments rather than deter them. It highlighted the influx of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) into various sectors of Nigeria’s economy under the Tinubu administration, emphasizing substantial growth in sectors like telecoms, manufacturing, and fintech.
Overall, the Presidency condemned Atiku’s allegations as unfounded and urged him to desist from undermining projects aimed at fostering economic prosperity in Nigeria.
