Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has questioned the ₦15 trillion earmarked for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway amid changes to its proposed route, urging Nigerians to demand accountability and to defend every citizen’s right to vote against electoral violence and ethnic discrimination.

He also condemned electoral violence, political thuggery, and ethnic discrimination, urging Nigerians to stand together across party and ethnic lines to defend everyone’s right to vote and ensure their votes count.

He said, “Coastal road has now become LAND road…. What of the N15trillion earmarked for that road? 𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬... 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘝, 𝘰𝘩, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦….”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Monday dismissed reports that the Federal Government had abandoned the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in favour of the East-West Road.

Nigerians took to social media on Monday to criticise Umahi over his recent comments on the coastal highway, saying they suggested a realignment that deviated from the original project plan.

Among those calling for the Federal Government to be transparent about the alleged realignment were former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, legal practitioners Chidi Odinkalu and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, and Niyi Akingunola, a House of Representatives candidate in Ondo State.

Umahi spoke to State House correspondents on Monday after meeting President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. He described claims that the coastal project had been abandoned as “mischievous”.

The minister said the planned addition of 400 kilometres of the East-West Road to the Federal Government’s infrastructure programme was a complementary project and would not replace any part of the coastal highway.

He said the original alignment of the coastal highway remained intact, adding that construction was ongoing on several sections simultaneously.

ASA