Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has dismissed reports of a rift between him and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, describing the FCT minister as a progressive politician and a member of the same political family.

Umahi spoke on Wednesday at a press conference in Abuja while responding to reports of divisions within the All Progressives Congress and speculation about his relationship with Wike.

“We need Wike as Wike needs us. So, it’s one family,” Umahi said.

The minister said differences between him and Wike had been exaggerated by their political opponents, insisting that their relationship remained cordial. He said the focus should be on national development rather than political differences among members of the same political family.

Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, said in January that his rainbow coalition represented a shift from conventional party politics towards a collective political movement focused on advancing the interests of Rivers State. However, the Progressive Governors Forum said it would not endorse alliances or political arrangements capable of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid or the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.

Umahi also said the Ministry of Works inherited 2,068 ongoing projects valued at about N13 trillion, adding that the administration was working to address the country’s infrastructure deficit.

He said borrowing for infrastructure should be viewed as an investment when projects could generate returns and contribute to economic growth.

On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi defended the procurement process, saying the law recognises open competitive tendering, selective tendering and special procurement as valid methods.

He said the first phase of the project was executed through special procurement because of its complex terrain and the need for a contractor with specialised coastal engineering experience. According to him, the process received the approval of the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council.

Umahi also said the external financing component of the project was oversubscribed by international financiers by more than $100 million, describing this as evidence that the project had been transparently handled.

The minister said the federal government had launched “Operation Rescue” on the Asaba-Benin route following challenges associated with its concession.

He said the government had intervened in seven sections of the road to restore movement, while plans were underway to redesign and reconstruct the route using concrete pavement.

Defending the use of concrete pavement on major highways, Umahi said the method would provide greater durability and could last for decades, potentially up to 100 years, when properly designed and maintained.

He added that the first 119-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road had been completed, while the second section, covering 164 kilometres, was expected to be completed by November 15.

Umahi said the various infrastructure projects across the country demonstrated the Tinubu administration’s commitment to addressing the infrastructure deficit and improving connectivity between communities and regions.

“There is no part of this country, there is no state that is not a construction site under President Bola Tinubu,” Umahi said. (Arise News)