By Ogu Bundu Nwadike
Recently in the news, some people parading themselves as Igbo leaders were reported to have visited the site of the 2nd Niger Bridge and were celebrating the endless project as an achievement of the clueless, inept, and incompetent All Progressives Congress (APC). Purportedly leading the celebrants on deceptive site-seeing rigmarole was Senator Hope Uzodimma of Imo State.
However, it has since been proved that the APC and their so-called leaders in the Southeast geo-political zone were only celebrating ignorance and ignoramus.
A factual statement by Dr Doyin Okupe, a former insider aide to the then President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR and published in Daily Trust national newspaper recently has since exposed the ignorance and ignoramus of Uzodimma and Co.
The statement was entitled: “15 Revelations About The Second Niger Bridge – By Doyin Okupe, A Former Aide To Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
It was stated that Dr Okupe wrote his message with the title of: “GEJ, Buhari & The People”. He, inter alia, wrote as follows:
[1] The Bridge is NOT Being Constructed by the FGN.
[2] It’s a PPP Project which the FGN contributes a tiny fraction.
[3] The 2nd Niger Bridge Will Cost about N117 billion.
[4] Started in 2013 and should have been completed in 2017, but worked stopped for 31 months. Completion date Not certain now.
[5] FGN share of the Cost is N30billion. Jonathan through the Sure-P paid N21.2billion (71%) including N7billion for the completion of preparatory work (Phase 1).
[6] 38% of the work has been done as at Jan 2015.
[7] The N140b Oshiomhole said was wasted on Admin cost on the bridge was a lie, as admin cost can not be higher than the cost of the whole project.
[8] Buhari’s Govt Paid N2billion NOT $2billion as Osinbajo said during the Anambra State election. They will be paying another N3.05b when the budget is approved.
[9] Work has restarted in earnest at the site and about 5%-7% has been completed bringing the total completed work to about 43% to 45% according to an engineer I spoke to.
[10] All the pictures flying all over the internet are pictures of work-in-progress made during the 1st quarter of 2015.
[11] In summary, Jonathan govt paid 71% of FGN share of the cost, while Buhari’s govt has paid 6.1%.
[12] Julius Berger, the Major Contractor and Construction company will put Toll Gate on Completion of the Bridge to recover their cost.
[13] The Construction Company is Funding the Project and the People using the Bridge will bear the cost via Toll Charges.
[14] The real People building the Bridge are Nigerians that will use the Bridge, as they will REPAY the cost to Julius Berger.
[15] For those celebrating Politicians and sharing old or fake pictures of 2nd Niger Bridge, the #Facts are Not on your side.
With the abundant facts and figures which can’t be contradicted by the APC, it’s now a matter of quod erat demonstrated (QED)!
Therefore, Uzodimma and his co-travellers should hide their faces in shame for celebrating what they know nothing about.
Now that the truth about the 2nd Niger Bridge has been revealed, due honour should be accorded the PDP for the display of sensitivity to the welfare and well-being of Nigerians, particularly those that ply to and fro the Southeast geo-political zone and even beyond into the South-South geo-political zone.
The struggle by the APC to sustain the 2nd Niger Bridge as a campaign object is simply wicked.
It has been confirmed that whenever elections are around the corner as they’re now loading in Anambra State, the APC will begin their dishonest and insincere show of love for the Southeast, with the 2nd Niger Bridge as their bait.
However, with the Okupe Revelations trending powerfully across Nigeria and the world, the truth has been established.
APC has a very little stake and contribution in the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge. Uzodimma with other pseudo-politicians in Southeast APC, and their co-conspirators in Abuja APC, should better take note and be properly guided!