By Jelili Gbadamosi
Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has dismissed allegations by Senator Adams Oshiomhole that he is biased in the distribution of federal road projects, saying the former Edo State governor had the opportunity to address some of the affected roads while in office.
Umahi made the remarks on Friday while inspecting an ongoing road project, a day after Oshiomhole accused him of favouring certain parts of the country in the allocation of road infrastructure.
The senator representing Edo North had complained that major federal roads linking Benin to Warri, Asaba, Auchi and Okene had deteriorated, alleging that the minister lacked a national outlook in the execution of road projects.
Reacting to the criticism, Umahi said he had no intention of engaging Oshiomhole in a public argument but would rather respond with facts.
“I cannot debate with Oshiomhole; I can only reason with him,” he said.
Umahi noted that the Lokoja-Benin-Warri road cited by the senator was awarded in 2018 while Oshiomhole was still serving as governor of Edo State.
According to the minister, he expected Oshiomhole to have undertaken work on the federal road during his tenure, recalling that he executed several federal road projects while serving as governor of Ebonyi State without raising complaints.
“He is my senior in governance and also my senior in the legislature. We served together when I was a deputy governor and he was a governor,” Umahi added.
