Just In : Governorship Candidate Tackles Governor For spending N30bn On 10km Road
The N30 billion spent on a 10.2-kilometre dual carriageway, recently inuagurated in Yenagoa, has pitched Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Udengs Eradiri against Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa.
The LP flagbearer in the Nov. 11 governorship poll, Mr Eradiri criticised Diri for using N30 billion only for the rehabilitation of the road that had been substantially finished by the previous administrations in Bayelsa.
PlatinumPost reports that the road was commissioned last week by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar.
Eradiri’s query was how can the current administration in the state spend ad N30 billion to complete a road inherited at advanced state of completion.
“This is outrageous and shows a lack of prudency with public funds by the Diri-led administration.
But the Chief Press Secretary to Diri, Mr Daniel Alabrah, responded, saying that Eradiri lied because he was seeking to score cheap political points.
Eradiri appealed to the state governor to address the facts around prudence, accountability and transparency he raised in the road project.
Eradiri’s questions in Yenagoa was in response to Diri’s statement criticising him for telling the public that the governor spent N30 billion to construct the 10.2-km phase two Glory Drive Road in Yenagoa, amounting to N3 billion per kilometre.
Eradiri alleged that Diri dissipated his energy calling him a liar without justifying “the bogus figure”.
Eradiri said: “The people of Bayelsa expected Gov. Diri to provide a contrary cost for the project, something lower than the N30 billion he allegedly spent.
“Diri should come clean on the cost of all his projects,” he said, alleging that cost of these projects are usually shrouded in secrecy.
“I challenge him to publish the costs of some of his projects, because it is the people’s money and the people deserve to know.
“Transparency and accountability in governance are the foundation of trust in leadership.
Diri, at the inauguration of the road project recently, put the cost of the 10.2- km road at N30 billion.
