The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as remarkable strides in road infrastructure development across the country.
The opposition coalition said it reached the verdict after what it called an independent, on-the-spot assessment of major road projects in parts of the country.
In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its National Spokesperson, Mark Adebayo, the CUPP rated the Tinubu administration “very good” in road infrastructure, describing the progress recorded so far as impressive and deserving of acknowledgment.
The coalition’s steering committee had embarked on an inspection of key projects, including the Abuja–Lokoja–Benin Road, to verify the government’s claims on infrastructure delivery.
Adebayo said members of the team, initially set out to verify government propaganda, were surprised by the level of work done.
“We might have set out initially to puncture claims of achievements by the APC government, especially in infrastructure development, but the impression we got in this first phase of our nationwide inspection was very positive,” he said.
He added that opposition groups have a duty to speak objectively, saying: “To foster the kind of development citizens desire, opposition members must acknowledge when something is being done right.”
CUPP steering committee member, Barrister Emeka Benjamin Igwe, also lauded the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, describing him as “arguably the hardest working minister in the current administration.”
He noted that the sheer number of ongoing road projects across the country was “incredibly vast and ambitious in scope,” adding that Umahi’s field-based supervision had brought a new sense of urgency and quality control to the sector.
The coalition also praised Umahi’s “humaneness” following his swift response to the recent tanker explosion tragedy in Niger State’s Katcha Local Government Area, where he sent a delegation to condole with the victims and promised prompt repair of the affected road.
According to the CUPP, contractors are currently on site along several major highways, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Expressway, Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway (Phase 1), Benin–Shagamu–Ore Road, Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, and the Abuja–Lokoja–Benin dual carriageway—all being executed with modern concrete and iron technology for durability.
The coalition said it plans to continue its independent assessment across the country and issue periodic feedback to both the government and the public.
“If the current pace and commitment are sustained, the perennial problem of bad roads in Nigeria could soon be history,” Adebayo said.
He added: “The Minister has shown that the job of a Works Minister is on the field, not in air-conditioned offices.
From what we have seen, this is one area where President Tinubu has scored very high.”
The group, however, cautioned security agencies against harassing citizens who independently monitor government projects, describing such civic engagement as a legitimate form of public accountability.