BENIN CITY: A chairmanship aspirant for Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area in the forthcoming council elections in Edo State, Hon. Ikponmwosa Clement Aitusi, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the inclusion of a 100-kilometre stretch of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway to pass through Edo State, describing it as a major boost to the state’s infrastructural and economic development.
Aitusi also lauded Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for maintaining a strong rapport with the Presidency, which he said made the inclusion of Edo possible.
He noted that the project would open up the state’s coastal corridor and bring economic opportunities to local communities, including Ikpoba-Okha.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) frontline aspirant, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Sunday, pledged that if given the party’s ticket, he would leverage on the federal and state infrastructure drive to open up rural communities and expand the revenue base of the council.
According to the timetable released by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), primary elections for political parties are scheduled to be held between November 10 and 29, 2025.
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, had announced the approval during the Edo State Independence Gala Night held at the State Villa, Benin City, on October 1.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Orji Uchenna Orji, on Friday in Abuja.
Umahi explained that Edo State was not originally captured in the alignment of the coastal highway, which was first conceived by President Tinubu decades ago, but was later reworked to accommodate the state.
“The President called me and said this project must pass through Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and to Cross River States. And that is why we are here. Your Excellency, the President has given you 100 kilometres by 2 of the coastal highways,” Umahi said.
He commended the government and people of Edo State for their support for President Tinubu and their alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The minister also assured that all ongoing and inherited federal road projects in Edo would be completed despite fiscal and logistical challenges.
Umahi further praised Governor Okpebholo for his intervention on critical repairs along the Benin–Sapele–Warri Road and commended the progress made by contractors handling various sections of the project.
In his remarks, Governor Okpebholo expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for including Edo in the landmark highway project, describing it as a demonstration of the President’s love for the people of Edo State.
He urged residents to reciprocate the gesture by supporting the administration in 2027.
The governor also hailed Umahi’s innovative engineering approach to road construction, which he said guarantees durability and value for money, while pledging his administration’s commitment to accelerating infrastructure renewal across the state.
Okpebholo, however, lamented the poor state of some federal roads in the state and called for urgent intervention to ease the suffering of motorists and residents.
He emphasized that rehabilitating such roads was vital for citizens’ welfare and for consolidating political support for the current administration.
