Coastal highway: Court okays application for Tinubu, Umahi to present bidding documents
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted leave to a non-governmental organisation to bring an application seeking to compel President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi and others to provide details of all procedures in the award of the N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
The incorporated trustees of the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation and its counsel, Kingdom Okere, had brought the application under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) against the Federal Ministry of Works, the Attorney- General of the Federation, Chagoury Group, Hitech Construction Company and Seyi Tinubu.
Justice Binta Nyako, who granted the application, also directed the non-governmental organisation to serve and put on notice, all the respondents in the matter for the next adjourned date, being May 30.
The judge further ordered the defendants to present before the court, federal tender publications or any other newspaper in respect of the contract for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, certified true copies of all documents like tax clearance, financial tender and bidding, PENCOM, bill of quantity, environmental impact assessment, contract agreement executed between the Federal Government of Nigeria and all the contractors in the project, documents evidencing/disclosing the total amount paid so far by the Federal Government of Nigeria and other relevant sources.
The judge ruled, “Upon hearing K.N Okere, counsel for the plaintiff/applicant move in terms of the motion paper, it is hereby ordered as follows: “That leave is granted to the plaintiff/applicant (Kingdom Foundation) to commence action for judicial review against administrative inaction of the 1st and 2nd defendants (Ministry of Works and Umahi) and to seek order of mandamus to compel the 1st and 2nd defendants to perform the statutory duty, mandate and obligation imposed on him under the Freedom of Information Act, to release and make available to the plaintiff/applicant, details of the entire procedure adopted and documents evidencing compliance with the Procurement Act in awarding the contract for the construction of the Lagos/Calabar coastal highway as requested in the plaintiff/applicants’ letter dated 30th May, 2024, and the reminder letter dated 9th October, 2024.”
