By John Moses
Segun Showunmi, a prominent member of Nigeria’s opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has publicly praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its commitment to road infrastructure development, while cautioning against malicious criticism of government policies.
Showunmi, who served as spokesperson to PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar during the 2019 elections, spoke on Saturday during a joint inspection of the Suleja-Minna road in Niger State. He was joined by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi.
“Although I’m in opposition, I say, Mr President, thank you for this one. We have seen this and we want to see even more,” Showunmi stated, likening his request to that of “Oliver Twist.”
He acknowledged that he had previously questioned projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Expressway, but said he was reassured after engaging constructively with the government.
Showunmi criticised those who spread unverified negative news, stressing that responsible criticism, rather than relentless condemnation, would better serve Nigeria’s democracy. “Democracy should not mean constantly shaming your country or stirring hatred against the government,” he said.
Minister Umahi commended Showunmi’s approach, describing it as an example of “constructive opposition,” and noted that the Tinubu administration is committed to building road networks with a lifespan of up to 100 years. He added that the quality of these projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, is consistent nationwide.
During the inspection, Umahi also declared a state of emergency on the Suleja-Minna road. He explained that the contractor, Salini Nigeria Limited, had been sanctioned for poor performance and now faces strict supervision to complete an assigned section; failure to do so would prompt intervention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Senator Nwaebonyi praised Tinubu’s vision for opening new economic corridors through road development, while Minister Goronyo applauded Showunmi for stepping beyond party lines to verify government efforts firsthand. “We pray God to give us more patriots like you who speak the truth regardless of who is in power,” Goronyo added.
The officials jointly called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and focus on facts, highlighting President Tinubu’s commitment to economic growth, infrastructure expansion and national development.
