By Demilade Adeniyi
A former Lagos State gubernatorial candidate Funso Doherty has challenged the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to advice the government to cancel the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in the interest of the nation’s economy.
In a letter dated Friday April 19, 2024, and addressed to the Attorney General, Doherty, said it is wrong for the flagrant disobedience of the procurement act as the project was awarded without competitive bidding as dictated by the nation’s procurement act.
According to Doherty, though the public procurement Act entrenches strict compliance to the act, it allows for special and restricted methods in very restricted cases especially in emergencies.
He urged the attorney general to rise up to the responsibilities of his office and advice the government appropriately to desist from the project before commiting more illegalities.
“It is clear that none of the lawful grounds for the single source procurement as provided in the public procurement act applied for this coastal road contract. Accordingly, I here by call on you in fulfilment of he obligations entrusted on to you as the chief law officer of the Federation and a trustee of the public interest to call the Federal Ministry of Works and the Bureau of Public Procurement to order, and advice the Federal Government to halt the prone y before it proceeds any further and subject it to due process including competitive bidding as required by the law and enforce the provision of the law by prosecuting any offences if non-compliance that have already been committed in the award of this contract.”
He said the sheer quantum of federal resources involved in the project it is turning out to be is a litmus test of your own commitment and that your office and this administration generally to uphold the rule of law and stand with the people and protect the public interest over the narrow and powerful vested interests.
“We are hopeful that the trust reposed in you and your office will be found to be well placed,” he said.
Sunrise News recalled that the Minister of Works had said the Lagos-Calabar highway which would link about 17 states of the South, would cost the federal government about N1.6 trillion.
His letter reads:
