Former presidential aide and journalist, Reuben Abati, has criticised the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, over his directive to decorate the First Niger Bridge with pictures of President Bola Tinubu.
Umahi issued the directive on Wednesday during an inspection of rehabilitation work on the bridge.
The minister reportedly ordered the removal of all illegal advertisements on the bridge after the rehabilitation project, directing that they be replaced with pictures of President Tinubu to acknowledge his contributions and efforts in the region.
However, speaking during Arise Television’s Morning Show programme on Thursday, Abati described the directive as discriminatory, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
The former presidential aide argued that the rehabilitation of the bridge was funded with public money and that no political party or candidate should have exclusive rights to display campaign posters on the infrastructure.
Abati maintained that if political posters are permitted on the bridge, candidates from different political parties should be given equal opportunities to campaign.
“Where I disagree with him is the Minister saying the bridge should be decorated only with the posters of President Bola Tinubu. No, that’s discriminatory. In a political season, no,” Abati said.
He further argued that if posters were to be displayed, candidates from different political parties, including those outside the All Progressives Congress (APC), should be allowed to participate.
“The posters that should be there should be the posters of all candidates. It’s campaign season. People can campaign. If posters are going to be there, there should be no monopoly. Every candidate should be allowed to have a say,” he stated.
Abati also questioned the use of public infrastructure for exclusive political promotion, stressing that the funds used to rehabilitate the bridge belonged to Nigerians.
“If there will be no poster, then even President Tinubu’s poster must not be there. There should be no discrimination because the money that the Ministry of Works used to rehabilitate that old bridge is Nigerians’ money. It is our money,” he said.
He added that access to the road should not be restricted to supporters of a particular political party.
“So whether you are AA or you are ZLP or you are whatever, you can have access to that road. It can’t be for only APC people. I agree with you on that one,” Abati concluded.
The disagreement highlights questions about the use of public infrastructure for political displays and the principles of equal access during an election season.
