Second Niger Bridge brought huge relief to easterners during yuletide, says Umenzekwe …Called Fashola an asset to Nigeria

Federal Government of Nigeria has been commended for the partial opening of the Second Niger Bridge during the Yuletide as the bridge helped to reduce the usual intractable gridlock in that axis to the barest minimum.

Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and member, Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Chief Modestus Umenzekwe, gave the commendation while interacting with the media in Lagos on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.

While extoling the high quality of work done on the bridge, Umenzekwe narrated his experience as he plied the newly built bridge “I must thank God for keeping us alive to witness certain things we never believed would happen for good for our own people. Second Niger Bridge as you asked me was partially opened during the yuletide period and for me to make sure that it was true, I plied the bridge myself when I was going and when I was coming back to Lagos. I personally drove on that bridge to make sure that what I am saying is the truth and nothing but the truth. In fact, despite all other issues or problems confronting the country or confronting the southeast, I will say that the partial opening of the Second Niger Bridge as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and implemented by the workaholic Minster, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) is one of the best things that have happened in the southeast and in this country.”

Umenzekwe said the spirit of Owelle Chuma Azikiwe will be rejoicing in the grave, because Buhari promised Chuma Azikiwe that if he becomes president of Nigeria he would build 2^nd Niger Bridge. “And like I keep saying, the spirit of Owelle Chuma Azikiwe will be rejoicing in the grave, because I have said it time without number, Buhari promised Chuma Azikiwe that if he becomes the president he will do the Second Niger Bridge and renovate Nnamdi Azikiwe’s compound. These two promises have been fulfilled.”

Umenzekwe described the new bridge as the best in Africa “You see, the Second Niger Bridge, it is just like moving on a very flat smooth surface, very wide. You need to go there. I describe it as the best bridge in Africa. So I am happy, our people are happy, and will not forget the government of APC, President Muhammadu Buhari and Babatunde Raji Fashola in a hurry. No southeast people will forget them in a hurry. Despite the fact that there are complaints here and there, but it is a signature project. And this is what a particular party and now opposition party did not do for 16 years. They did the ground breaking work and nothing was done.

“The traffic was flowing very well, there was no traffic gridlock, the usual gridlock experienced by Ndigbo during yuletide whenever they are going home, and you know Ndigbo love going home, every Igbo man would go home during Christmas to rejoice with his people, to rejoice with his family, to rejoice with the kinsmen and the town, that is when we take major decisions concerning our families, our kindred, our communities. The next time is August, so these two periods are very very important in the life of an Igbo man. So we thank Mr. President, we thank the minister for the partial opening, and we believe before this administration wines down, that bridge will be formally commissioned,” Umenzekwe stated.

Speaking on what he felt was remaining on the road he said “The only thing I can say, which I know they are already working on is to do the access road, because the main access road has not been done due to the fact that, I think, the area is so marshy and then the indigenes there are having interactions with the government. I think that is what is remaining, and I believe in no distant time that, I think, will be done. For now you access the Second Niger Bridge almost at the foot of the old bridge if you are coming down from Lagos, you take right to access it. But I know the main access road will burst out in Delta, precisely before the Asaba Airport. So let them try as much as possible to do it, and once they do that, it is fait accompli.”

Umenzekwe who thumbed up Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola for his dedication, capacity and detribalized nature in seeing to the completion of the bridge, called him an asset to the nation. “For Fashola you are talking about, I have said it time without number, he is so methodical in his approach to issues, he is a trail blazer, a silent achiever; he is a legal luminary but does the work of an engineer. And the facts and figures about whatever he has done within these seven years plus in the ministry are in his head, confront him any time he will be downloading them without even looking at any paper. Meet him anywhere, he is focused, and will continue to be focused, and like I keep saying, if Asiwaju wins, let him retain him there, let him retain Fashola on the corridors of power. Or else whoever wins should try to make use of the man, or consult him regularly, because that man is an asset to this country, whether you believe it or not, whether you like it or not, and he is an access to this administration, and will continue to be access to humanity, I wish him well,” Umenzekwe stated.