Umahi fires back at Oshiomhole over ‘biased road projects’ allegation

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has responded to an allegation recently levelled against him by the lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole.

DAILY POST recalls that Oshiomhole on Thursday alleged that the minister was being nepotistic in the selection of roads to be constructed across the country.

“You cannot go from Benin to Warri, Asaba, Auchi or Okene. What have we done wrong? I think the minister has consistently shown that there is no federal allocation,” the lawmaker claimed, urging the Senate to appeal to the minister “to be more balanced and have a national outlook in his response.”

Responding while inspecting a project on Friday, Umahi said one of the roads Oshiomhole pointed out was awarded when the lawmaker was serving as governor of Edo State.

Umahi said he expected Oshiomhole to have constructed the road while he was governor instead of complaining.

He said, “People said that I should go and debate with Oshiomhole. I cannot debate with Oshiomhole; I can only reason with him.

“He is my senior in governance, and he is also my senior in the legislature. We served together when I was a deputy governor and he was a governor.

“The road he is talking about, that straight road from Lokoja down to Benin and Warri, was awarded in 2018 when he was still a governor.

“I expected him to have done part of that federal road. When I was a governor, I did a lot of federal roads, and I did not complain.”