Second Niger Bridge: Igbos have forgiven Buhari – Ohanaeze

The apex Igbo cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for completing the Second Niger Bridge, saying people of the Southeast have forgiven the President over his inability to fulfill his 2015 electoral promises to the Igbos.

The group also urged Buhari’s government to rename the Second Niger Bridge after Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, made the remark while applauding Buhari’s government for completing the bridge.

He said the completion of the bridge was a fulfilment of Buhari’s promise to Nigerians and Igbos.

Recall that the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had announced the completion of the Second Niger Bridge.

Fashola, however, disclosed that some link roads to the bridge were still under construction.

Reacting, Isiguzoro, in a statement, said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has praised the Federal Government’s giant strides in the realization of the second Niger Bridge up to 95% according to the Ministry of Works, we received the cheery news from the Minister of Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola as the fulfillment of the Government’s promises to the Nigerians and Ndigbo in particular, and it will strengthen the level of people’s confidence in expecting more from the Buhari’s administration.

“We are conscious of the fact that there are about 3.3 km of uncompleted road from the Asaba axis and 7km of uncompleted road from the Anambra axis of the 2nd Niger Bridge.

“We are hopeful that the contractors will expedite actions for the realization of 10.3 km roads from both axis of the roads to ensure that commuters and road users will enjoy the benefits of the 2nd Niger Bridge during the festival period of Christmas and New Year.

“This is a legacy project that Ndigbo will always refer to as the mother of all infrastructural facilities completed by Buhari’s Government and should be renamed after Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu bridge from the proposed name as Buhari’s Bridge.

“Ndigbo are relieved of unbelievable treaties of previous Governments on the second Niger bridge and also pardon President Buhari over his inability to fulfill other 2015 electoral promises, which included the revamping of the Enugu Coal mine, but the announcement of the completion of the 2nd Niger Bridge including a 35km bypass road linking Anambra and Delta States through a concession under a Public Private Partnership scheme has restored the confidence of Ndigbo that the projected started on September 1st, 2018 will fully be ready for a commission by December 2022.

“Ndigbo is grateful for this feat and urged President Buhari for completion of other projects in the southeast before May 2023.”