By Saminu Ibrahim
Senator representing Ebonyi North, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi has attributed the growing popularity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the defection of prominent opposition politicians to the infrastructure projects and economic initiatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The lawmaker said the president’s investments in road infrastructure across the six geopolitical zones had demonstrated his commitment to national development, particularly in regions previously perceived to have suffered infrastructural neglect.
Nwebonyi spoke on Wednesday while briefing newsmen in Abuja.
He cited the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway, describing it as a major achievement of the Tinubu administration, particularly because of its concrete pavement technology and streetlight installations.
According to him, the project would significantly reduce travel time, improve road safety and enhance economic activities along the corridor.
He also highlighted the Lagos-Badagry-Sokoto Coastal Highway, noting that its completion would stimulate economic activities, particularly through the construction of more than 13 dams and the establishment of agricultural clusters along the route.
Senator Nwebonyi further commended the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, claiming that about 50 per cent of the nearly 1,000-kilometre project had been completed.
He described the coastal highway as an investment capable of generating revenue for the Federal Government through tolling, thereby helping to repay funds borrowed for its construction.
Highlighting projects in the South-East, he said the reconstruction of the Onitsha-Enugu road had significantly reduced travel time from between three and four hours to less than one hour.
He also cited the Enugu-Abakaliki and Enugu-Aba roads, saying their reconstruction and dualisation had improved connectivity and reduced journey times.
The lawmaker equally applauded the completion of the Bodo-Bonny Road, which he said had suffered setbacks for about three decades under successive administrations before being completed by the Tinubu government.
He described the proposed 464-kilometre road linking Ebonyi, Benue, Nasarawa and Abuja, through Afikpo and other communities, as one of the most significant infrastructure projects for the South-East and South-South regions.
According to him, the project originated from a motion he presented on August 23, 2023, drawing the attention of President Tinubu to the poor condition of an ancient road opened by colonial authorities in 1948.
He said the road, which connects two major food-producing states, Ebonyi and Benue, had been extended to link the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway corridor through Osara.
He added that about 40 per cent of the earthworks had been completed on the project.
The lawmaker maintained that the distribution of major infrastructure projects across the country had strengthened public confidence in the Tinubu administration, insisting that the five South-Eastern states were prepared to support the president’s re-election bid.
On concerns over the Federal Government’s increasing borrowing, particularly following requests for additional foreign loans, he argued that borrowing should be assessed based on how the funds were utilised.
He maintained that there was nothing wrong with borrowing to finance development projects, provided the funds were properly deployed to initiatives capable of generating economic returns and improving citizens’ welfare.
He cited the United States and China as examples of countries that also borrow to finance major development projects, including through international financial institutions.
The lawmaker, however, acknowledged concerns about Nigeria’s debt obligations but argued that infrastructure investments capable of generating revenue could help support loan repayment.
He further noted that the 2024 and 2025 budgets had not been fully funded, suggesting that additional financing was necessary to sustain critical government projects.
