“I’m Your Senior In Engineering And Governance”, Umahi Carpets Gov Makinde

The Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi, has hit back at Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over comments regarding the cost of federal road projects, insisting that he is more experienced both as an engineer and in governance.

Umahi, who was inspecting the Abuja–Mararaba–Keffi road project alongside Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule on Saturday, addressed the growing public debate about the cost per kilometre of federal road projects, a discussion sparked by Makinde’s recent remarks.

“I have great respect for governors and the Governors’ Forum, but when someone who is clearly my junior in both engineering and governance speaks out of turn, I won’t keep quiet,” Umahi said.

“I’m an ‘A’ student in mathematics, and that’s one of my strengths.”

The minister explained that cost per kilometre for road construction varies based on multiple factors, including terrain, materials used, and scope of work involved.

He said the Keffi section of the road project was originally 43 km but had been extended to 45 km to utilise the ₦73 billion allocated by the previous administration.

“You can’t put one flat cost per kilometre,” he said.

“Using asphalt on shoulders is different from using concrete. When you add things like medians, site conditions, and scope, costs naturally vary.”

Umahi stressed that estimated project cost includes contingency provisions and Variations of Price (VOP), which may not even be used by the end of the project. Only after completion can the actual average cost per kilometre be accurately calculated.

“When the project is done, and unused contingency and VOP are removed, that’s when you can calculate a true average cost,” he added.

“Trying to oversimplify it is just mischievous.”

In what appeared to be a direct response to Governor Makinde, Umahi said:

“I understand that my brother and friend, Governor Makinde, made some comments. I respect him, but he studied electrical electronics engineering, this is civil engineering and road construction.
I am his senior both in engineering practice and in governance. If there’s anything he doesn’t understand, he should call and ask me.”

He continued, “I don’t want to join issues with him, but he should withdraw the claim that I’m ‘dancing around’ the issue. I don’t dance around anything. And if he insists, I invite him to a public debate on the subject.”

The minister also ridiculed what he called uninformed commentary, referencing AI searches and media reports:

“When people go around asking AI about the difference between average cost and estimated cost per kilometre, and AI ends up confirming what I said, that tells you something.
Even the NUC’s programme on professors agrees with me. In the field of practical engineering, God has made me a professor.”

Switching focus to the inspection, Umahi addressed the persistent traffic congestion along the Abuja–Mararaba–Keffi axis, saying a lasting solution would require cooperation from the Nasarawa State Government.

He said illegal roadside trading, shanties, and congestion have made expansion work difficult.

“We discovered that markets and traders have taken over the roadside in many areas. If the Governor agrees to remove those structures, we will add additional carriageways to ease the traffic,” Umahi stated.

He confirmed that the Federal Government is ready to carry out the expansion once the state clears the right of way, noting that such collaboration is crucial to resolving bottlenecks in the area.