2027: AMAECHI VOWS ADC WILL DEVELOP GELEGELE, OTHER DEEP SEAPORTS

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By ‘Balogun Ibrahim

The African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has claimed responsibility for the construction of the Lekki Deep Seaport, accusing President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of taking credit for the project.

Amaechi made the claim on Thursday at an ADC stakeholders’ meeting in Edo State while responding to a question on whether an ADC administration would develop the proposed Gelegele Seaport to the standard of the Lekki Deep Seaport.

The former Minister of Transportation said the construction of several deep seaports was approved under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, including the Lekki project.

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He explained that although the idea of the Lekki Deep Seaport predated the Buhari administration, he supervised its construction while serving as transportation minister.

“I built Lekki Deep Seaport from scratch to finish. I finished it completely, but I had resigned to contest for the office of the president, that’s why Sanwo-Olu got Buhari to come and commission it,” Amaechi said.

He accused Sanwo-Olu, Tinubu and others of subsequently taking credit for the project, alleging that they did not visit the site during its construction.

“And when they were commissioning, Sanwo-Olu and others including Tinubu were claiming that they built it. None of them visited it from scratch,” he added.

Amaechi acknowledged that Buhari approved the construction of the seaport but said the concept originated during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Buhari approved the construction of that seaport, but it was essentially an Obasanjo’s idea, even though it was built by Buhari,” he said.

The former Rivers State governor also disclosed that the Buhari administration approved deep seaport projects in Bonny, Akwa Ibom and Warri, although funding constraints prevented some of them from progressing.

He said the proposed Bonny Deep Seaport was designed to have a depth of 18 metres, while the proposed Akwa Ibom seaport location had a natural depth of between 17 and 18 metres.

According to Amaechi, the Warri seaport was approved partly to facilitate the transportation of iron ore from northern Nigeria to Warri.

He pledged that an ADC administration would revive the proposed seaport projects and ensure their construction, arguing that the required funding was achievable.

“We didn’t quite raise all the money to construct them. Will ADC government do anything? Yes, we will ensure that all those seaports are constructed. They are not too expensive,” Amaechi said.

He estimated that between $400 million and $500 million could be sufficient to commence construction of the proposed seaports, with further expansion carried out subsequently.

Amaechi also assured stakeholders that an ADC government would prioritise the development of the proposed Gelegele Seaport in Edo State.

“When ADC government wins, I, as a vice president, will put it on the table for the president to approve,” he said.