Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has dismissed allegations by the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole, that he has been biased in the allocation of federal road projects, insisting that the claims are unfair and do not reflect the realities of road construction across the country. In a sharp rebuttal on Friday, July 31, 2026, Umahi questioned why Oshiomhole was criticising the Federal Government over a road that had been awarded during his own tenure as governor of Edo State.
The exchange was triggered by Oshiomhole's remarks during a Senate plenary session on Wednesday, July 29, where he accused the Minister of Works of neglecting critical federal roads in Edo and Delta states. The former Edo governor expressed concern over the poor condition of major federal highways, including the Benin-Warri, Benin-Asaba, Benin-Auchi, and Auchi-Okene roads, which he said had become almost impassable for motorists. "The federal minister of works needs to be guided. Whereas we have many existing roads that are in terrible condition, new roads are being proposed when the existing ones have not been properly addressed. Just three weeks ago, about 20 new roads were approved," Oshiomhole declared. He further alleged that successive national budgets over the past three years had failed to make adequate provisions for the affected roads and that some interventions were only made possible through presidential directives.
Responding to the criticism, Umahi, who was inspecting an ongoing road project on Friday, said he had no intention of engaging in a public debate with the former governor. "People said that I should go and debate with Oshiomhole. I cannot debate with Oshiomhole; I can only reason with him," the minister said. He praised Oshiomhole for his experience in public service, noting that they had both served as governors at the same time. "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," Umahi said.
However, Umahi questioned why Oshiomhole was criticising the Federal Government over a road that had been awarded during his own tenure as governor of Edo State. "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," Umahi stated. The minister argued that state governments also have a role to play in supporting the maintenance and rehabilitation of federal roads, especially those critical to the economic life of their states. "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," he added. Umahi served as governor of Ebonyi State between 2015 and 2023 before he was appointed Minister of Works by President Bola Tinubu. During his time as governor, he embarked on several major road and bridge projects, including the reconstruction of some federal roads passing through Ebonyi State.
The minister has repeatedly defended the Tinubu administration's road infrastructure programme, saying projects are awarded based on available funding, economic importance, and engineering priorities rather than political considerations. Oshiomhole's remarks come amid growing concerns over the condition of major federal highways across the country, with road users and stakeholders repeatedly calling for increased funding and accelerated rehabilitation of critical transport infrastructure. The senator's allegations of bias have added fuel to the ongoing debate over the allocation of federal resources and the state of Nigeria's road network.
As the exchange between the two former governors continues to generate attention, the Senate leadership has yet to formally intervene in the matter. However, Oshiomhole has appealed to the Senate to prevail on the Minister of Works to ensure fairness in the execution of federal road projects nationwide. "I plead with you to urge the Minister to be more balanced and to adopt a truly national outlook in carrying out his responsibilities," Oshiomhole said. Whether the minister's rebuttal will quell the criticism or spark further debate remains to be seen, but the clash has once again highlighted the deep-seated frustrations over the state of Nigeria's road infrastructure and the perceived inequities in the distribution of federal projects.
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