Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents the Edo North Senatorial District, expressed his worries regarding the granting of the Abuja-Kaduna road contract during a budget defense meeting with the Minister of Works, David Nweze Umahi. This exchange was documented in a video released by TVC News on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Umahi is currently the Minister of Works in the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
During the session, Oshiomhole introduced himself by saying, “I am Adam Oshiomhole. To start, I want to remind everyone here, especially those in the National Assembly, that your work reflects the vision of Mr. President very well. This is why we have always supported any funding request from the executive that concerns public capital projects.”
He added, “This is a truth that no minister can argue against. However, the real question is whether or not you actually use the funds, which is the purpose of this meeting.” Focusing on the national interest, he noted, “As you mentioned, we should not only focus on our own regions. We must take a look at the entire country. I share the chairman's concerns regarding the Abuja-Kaduna road.”
Commenting on the cancellation of the earlier contract, Oshiomhole remarked, “You do not regret withdrawing it from Julius Berger. That’s fine. I am not affiliated with Julius Berger. I support those of you who agree with this decision while you proceed.”
He then questioned the rationale behind granting the contract to a different company. “However, what puzzles me is why you chose to give the contract to a new business associated with Mikano. Mikano is known for selling generators. No matter how you phrase it, you need to acknowledge that they do not have a background in road construction.”
Oshiomhole stated, “So, why would you take a project away from a reliable company and assign it to a lesser-known firm that lacks any past experience? If they had any, we would like to know their name and the projects they have completed in the last 10 or 20 years in Nigeria. Reputation is everything.”
Sharing his experiences from a recent visit, he said, “When I traveled along that road, as I was with someone from Kaduna, I noticed the tractors. Whether they were operational or not is debatable. It resembles what I observed during my travels. I visit there and see a tractor that isn't functioning. I will notice them scattered everywhere.”
He also commented, “The Kaduna road is not an extraordinary task. It isn't something complicated. Whether it involves concrete or asphalt, as an engineer, you know that the primary concern isn't simply about choosing between the two. If the concrete work is poorly executed, if the specifications are inadequately defined, oversight is almost nonexistent, and the contractor is incompetent, then using concrete doesn’t guarantee high quality. I believe we need to agree on that.
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