Umahi Replies Oshiomhole: “You Were Governor When Benin-Warri Road Was Awarded”

By Marian Alekhue

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has responded to allegations by Senator Adams Oshiomhole that he is favouring certain parts of the country in the allocation of federal road projects, insisting that the criticism is misplaced.

The exchange follows Oshiomhole’s remarks in the Senate on Thursday, where the Edo North lawmaker accused the minister of failing to give adequate attention to major federal roads serving Edo State.

Lamenting the deplorable condition of key highways, Oshiomhole said motorists could hardly travel from Benin City to Warri, Asaba, Auchi or Okene because of the state of the roads.

“You cannot go from Benin to Warri, Asaba, Auchi or Okene. What have we done wrong? I think the minister has consistently shown that there is no federal allocation,” Oshiomhole said, urging the Senate to appeal to the Minister of Works “to be more balanced and have a national outlook in his response.”

However, speaking on Friday during an inspection of ongoing road projects, Umahi rejected the allegation and reminded Oshiomhole that one of the roads he complained about was awarded while he was governor of Edo State.

The minister argued that, rather than criticising the present administration, the former governor should have intervened on the federal road during his tenure, as some governors have done.

“I cannot debate with Oshiomhole; I can only reason with him,” Umahi said.

“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.

“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.
“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.”

The exchange highlights growing concerns over the condition of federal highways in Edo State, particularly the Benin–Warri, Benin–Auchi and Benin–Asaba corridors, which have attracted widespread criticism from motorists, transport operators and residents over years of neglect.

Oshiomhole’s comments came amid increasing pressure on the Federal Ministry of Works to accelerate rehabilitation of strategic roads across the country, while Umahi has maintained that ongoing projects are being executed based on available funding and government priorities.