Mr. Clem Agba, the Nigeria Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, has defended Mr. Peter Akpatason, a lawmaker from Edo State over a trending video showing poorly constructed road and drainage by the lawmaker as his constituency project.
Defending the lawmaker over a poorly constructed road and drainage that has generated a huge condemnation by the people of his constituency and Nigerians, Mr. Agba in WhatsApp group chat obtained by MAWA FOUNDATION said Akpatason is a fighter for Edo State and has done a lot in not only attracting projects to Edo people but also fighting to give the state relevance at National Assembly, he needs the people’s support and prayers.
“Hon Akpatason is a fighter for Edo State in NASS and has done a lot in not only attracting projects to our State but also fighting to give us relevance at NASS. He needs our support and prayers”, Agba said.
Defending the lawmaker further, Agba said “there is nothing wrong in designing a road without stone base provided in the design, the CBR test on the lateritic fill should be done and results should not be less than 80%”.
Justifying his defence over the lawmaker for carrying out a bad job that has generated condemnation, Agba pointed out that those who are condemning the lawmaker for doing a bad job are playing politics to tarnish his image.
According to Agba, I checked with the State Agric Coordinator for Rural Roads, who disclosed that the road is Mr. Akpatason’s constituency project under his supervision. The person in the video is mischievous and playing politics, the area shown in the video is not part of the project but an extension of community effort.
“I just checked with the Agric Coordinator for Rural Roads in Edo and here is his response. Good morning Hon. Minister.
The road is a constituency project of Hon Akpatason and is under his supervision. The person in the video is mischievous and playing politics. The area shown is not part of the project but an extension of community effort”, Mr. Agba said in the group chat.
AKpatason had been caught in the act of carrying out a poorly constructed road and drainage at the Igarra community in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State at the sum of N95 million.
As a result of the obvious poor construction carried out by the lawmaker, community residents were seen in a trending video removing the tarred road and drainage with their bare hands. Actions that showed how poor the construction was done.
Tracka, a public accountability organization that exposed the corruption carried out by the lawmaker, disclosed that the road and drainage project was the Akpatason constituency project.
The construction work was that carried out by Royal Jeff Nigeria Limited, and, this is even as a check on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) shows the company is inactive. An indication that shows the company has been evading tax and its registration legal status suspended or cancelled.
In a video that has since gone viral, residents of Igarra community were seen condemning the poor road and drainage construction carried out by the lawmaker after spending millions of Naira.
Despite the wide condemnation of Akpatason’s poorly constructed road and drainage, Mr. Agba, a Nigerian Minister from Edo State, has defended the lawmaker, saying he has done very well and deserves praises and prayers.