The Presidency, on Monday, tackled former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his claim of conflict of interest in the award of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway by the Federal Government.
Atiku, in a statement on Sunday, claimed that the road project was awarded to Hitech Construction Company because the owner of the firm, Gilbert Chagoury, had business ties with President Bola Tinubu.
The ex-VP also alleged that Tinubu’s son, Seyi, sits on the board of a company owned by Chagoury.
Atiku also faulted the massive demolition of buildings to pave the way for the highway, saying it had the potential to discourage foreign investors.
But the Presidency, in a statement on Monday, denied the claims by Atiku, adding that the former VP lacked the moral right to raise the question of conflict of interests.
The titled, ‘Atiku Abubakar’s penchant for distorting facts,’ was signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The Presidency said, “We found it strange that Alhaji Atiku could accuse President Tinubu of conflict of interest in the award of Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway to Hitech Construction Company, which he claimed is owned by Chagoury family because the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu, sits on the board of CDK, a tiles manufacturing company, based in Sagamu, Ogun State.”
The Presidency said should Atiku, who formed Intels Nigeria with an Italian businessman when he served in the Nigeria Customs Service, a “clear breach of extant public service regulations…be the one accusing someone else of conflict of interest?”
