…Flags off project, urges contractor on design, budget, schedule

Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has defended the construction of the 2.38-kilometre Oyemekun-Oba Adesida flyover in Akure, maintaining that President Bola Tinubu’s recent stance about unnecessary flyover projects was not directed at his administration.

Aiyedatiwa made the clarification on Monday during the flag-off ceremony of the project at Cathedral Junction on Oba Adesida Road, where he dismissed insinuations over the viability of the project.

The governor’s defence comes weeks after Tinubu expressed displeasure at state governors prioritising flyover constructions over what he described as more pressing infrastructure needs, despite increased monthly allocations to states.

During the flag-off, Aiyedatiwa insisted that his administration had conducted thorough studies before embarking on the project and that the Oyemekun-Oba Adesida axis qualifies as a location where such infrastructure is urgently needed to address traffic congestion constantly being witnessed along the busy route.

The governor maintained that the flyover, which will stretch from Adegbola Junction to the St Matthias/NNPC Filling Station in the Alagbaka axis of the Akure metropolis, is designed to address persistent gridlock on one of the capital city’s busiest corridors.

According to Aiyedatiwa, the route has for a long time served as the link of commercial, administrative, and social activity within the state capital, connecting major markets, financial institutions, educational establishments, places of worship, and dense residential settlements.

He said, “Let me quickly remind all of us, especially those naysayers that never see anything good in what we are doing. This is not the kind of location Mr President was referring to when he said governors should stop building flyovers. This is not the kind.

“He said they should not erect them where they are unnecessary. So you must add the other side of his speech. Do not quote Mr President out of context. He said, ‘Where it is necessary, you can do it.’ This one is more than necessary, and that is why we are doing it.

“More importantly, it will reposition Akure as a competitive and investor-friendly capital—a city with efficient infrastructure that attracts businesses, retains talent, and expands opportunities for our youth,” Aiyedatiwa said.

The governor expressed gratitude to Tinubu for the economic reforms that have enabled all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to access more funds from the federation account, crediting the reforms with providing the fiscal room for the state to embark on the project.

Meanwhile, the governor charged the contractors to justify the confidence reposed in them by the government and the people of Ondo State, urging them to work according to design, budget, and schedule.

He also appealed to residents, market associations, transport unions, and community leaders along the corridor for their understanding and patience during the construction phase, acknowledging that there would be traffic diversions, temporary relocation of trading activities, and disruptions to normal routines.

“These temporary inconveniences are the price we must be willing to pay for the permanent ease and improved mobility we seek for ourselves,” he said.