A new commentary by Godwin Iroadighiogu has raised concerns over the politicisation of the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road project, warning that infrastructure should serve as a bridge between government and the people rather than a battlefield for competing political egos.
CDA News Nigeria reports that the piece, titled “When Infrastructure Becomes a Weapon in the Politics of Public Credit,” argues that the controversy surrounding the road offers an opportunity to reflect on a troubling habit in public life: treating infrastructure as political property rather than a public responsibility.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that the author stresses that when a state government intervenes in a federal infrastructure project, its contribution deserves recognition. However, he cautions that recognition must not become selective, insisting that the role of the Federal Government, the approval behind the intervention, and the respective obligations of both tiers must remain part of the public record.
“There is a difference between celebrating a government’s contribution and constructing a narrative that makes every other contribution disappear,” the commentary states. “The first informs the public; the second risks distorting its understanding of how public infrastructure is delivered.”
The piece further notes that federalism was not designed to turn governments into permanent rivals. It argues that Governor Alex Otti should be able to defend his administration’s interventions confidently while sustaining a constructive relationship with the Federal Government, just as President Bola Tinubu’s role in approving the intervention should be acknowledged where facts support it.
On the question of reimbursement, the author insists that financial records, applicable agreements and established procedures should determine each party’s obligations, adding that “political excitement cannot replace proper documentation.”
The commentary concludes that the measure of success is not who wins the argument over a project, but whether the infrastructure serves its intended purpose and whether public resources are properly accounted for.
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