A faction of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has called on the National Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing a conflict of interest in the awarding of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract.
The controversy arose after President Tinubu publicly referred to Gilbert Chagoury, whose construction company is executing the project, as his “partner,” prompting sharp criticism from the group’s leadership.
Speaking on behalf of the faction, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, a prominent Afenifere leader, expressed serious concerns over what he described as the president’s open admission of a conflict of interest. In an interview with The PUNCH, Tinubu had praised the Chagoury-led Hitech Construction Company during the inauguration of the first section of the coastal highway, describing the contractor as his “partner in daring.”
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Tinubu made the statement during the commissioning of the 30-kilometre, Phase 1, Section 1 segment of the highway on Saturday. The road, according to the federal government, is a major infrastructure project intended to link Lagos to Calabar along Nigeria’s southern coastline. However, critics argue that the contract award process lacked transparency and disproportionately benefits Eko Atlantic City, a private real estate development associated with the Chagoury Group.
“To the contractors and my partner in daring, it was tough for us… We came together to tame the Atlantic,” Tinubu said at the event, referring to efforts that led to the development of Eko Atlantic City and the commencement of the coastal highway.
Olaitan seized on this statement as evidence that Tinubu may have used his office to personally benefit a close associate, raising ethical and legal red flags. He argued that the contract was not subjected to a competitive bidding process and appears to serve the interests of a private development project rather than the public good.
“All President Tinubu is doing is building a road to his own Atlantic City,” Olaitan said. “He openly said the contractor is his partner. That means he awarded a federal contract to himself. That road was not advertised for public bidding. It is a national shame.”
The Afenifere chieftain stated that the actions of the president amount to a breach of public trust. He accused the Tinubu administration of using state resources to pursue personal business interests and demanded immediate action from the legislature.
“If we had a truly independent and vibrant National Assembly, they would have begun impeachment proceedings immediately,” he added. Olaitan also questioned the logic behind commissioning only a small section of the extensive highway project, which spans several southern states.
“Why commission just four percent of the road? That road leads straight to their private development. If that part is done, they may abandon the rest. This is a clear conflict of interest,” he said.
Olaitan concluded by urging lawmakers to demonstrate their independence by initiating impeachment proceedings without delay. “The National Assembly must prove that it is not complicit. If they are truly independent, they must act now. We cannot condone this. This is not how to run a democracy. The president has admitted to a breach of public trust.”
In response, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the call for impeachment as baseless and politically motivated. Speaking with Naija News on Friday, APC spokesperson Seye Oladejo rejected the interpretation of Tinubu’s comments as indicative of a business relationship.
“I will just regard that as a joke taken too far. Maybe they need to consult their dictionary to understand what ‘partner’ means. Did he say business partner? He didn’t say they have any relationship or any incorporated firm where they both have shares,” Oladejo said.
He argued that Tinubu’s use of the term “partner in daring” referred to shared ambition and vision, not a business partnership. According to Oladejo, relevant government agencies handled the contract award process, and due process was followed.
“If there’s any issue, it should be addressed through the appropriate channels, not through calls for impeachment,” he added.
The project, handled by Hitech Construction Company, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group, is one of the most ambitious infrastructure undertakings in the current administration. The same company is also responsible for the development of Eko Atlantic City, a multi-billion-dollar real estate initiative built on reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean.
While Tinubu’s allies insist that the project reflects his commitment to economic development and urban renewal, critics continue to question the transparency of the process and the ethical implications of the president’s public statements.
As of now, the National Assembly has not issued any formal response to the calls for impeachment. However, the controversy surrounding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project appears likely to intensify as opposition voices and civil society groups weigh in.
