DEAR SENATE PRESIDENT GODSWILL AKPABIO,

Kindly reach out urgently to President Tinubu and Works Minister Umahi to fix immediately ALL failed and grotesque sections of the East-West Road, even if on emergency contract basis.
It is reported (by friends and others in the axis) that travelling from Benin to Warri takes over six hours to achieve now, a trip that normally lasts no more than an hour and a half. I hope that's an exaggeration, but the attached report and picture in yesterday's The Guardian newspaper (29th Sept '23) don't support such hope. That's in addition to the danger to commuters' lives both in terms of the atrocious state of the road (road "unsafety") and how that conduces to criminals operating there in this uniquely Nigerian age of unknown gunmen and spiked banditry.
In any case, along with millions of choiceless citizens, I personally suffer the frequent misfortune of travelling the Ahoada-Mbiama-Yenagoa Junction-Zarama section of the East-West Road between Rivers and Bayelsa States. I'm forwarding along with this note a recent video clip of a bit of that section and traffic on it. That kind of neglect is nothing but official wickedness by a country against affected communities, commuters and citizens. The Eleme-Onne section and the approach into your native Akwa-Ibom State are just as bad or worse, and have caused episodes of civil blockade and unrest in recent years. It is somewhat comforting that a contract to RCC Ltd for that axis was announced barely days ago, though from our protracted experience Nigerian Governments should deserve no garlands for mere announcements and intentions.
It's hard to fathom that Government may be waiting for similar civil protests before taking overly overdue swift action on several hazardous sections of this singular interstate connection between half of the six zones of the country. Any self-respecting country and its relevant successive leaders - Presidents, Works and Niger Delta (Affairs) Ministers, Governors and Senators of states on the route - in the twenty four years or more of this state of road outrage should feel embarrassed and responsible, to put it charitably. You have held three of those key positions that could have made the difference.
To boot, Senator Akpabio, you are the current Senate President and Head of the entire National Assembly. You have the power, if you are well-intentioned, to make this happen. Please reach out NOW to President Asiwaju, the Minister of Works and other relevant MDA heads to fix those disgraceful sections of this sole access to three major economic and coastal belts of Nigeria. Remember also, the perenial floods are here again. They usually add provocation to the angst and hopelessness of the people. In fact, one more flood could practically and finally delete those sections of the East-West Road, as they virtually did in recent years. Floods have played a role in previous epochal upheavals in our national history, including the Isaac Boro-led revolt of 1966 and the Odi invasion/crisis in 1999. Please confirm for yourself.
Every Nigerian citizen or resident has a right to send this alert as I have done. But I also draw on the leverage of being your fellow member of the Nigerian Law School Set of 1988, one that also boasts (should we boast?) one of your predecessors in your current office, at least two other former governors and the immediate past Minister of Works who managed to NOT fix the East-West Road.
Over the years, Nigerians have progressively viewed their national institutions (executive, legislative and judicial) as impediments to rather than facilitators of a meaningful life for them. As one who heads and personifies the national legislature, you have both a duty and an uncommon opportunity to show them that Government can still care for people. And no, it's not an excuse that you are not in the Executive arm (anymore; you've been there before anyway). We all know how it works in Nigeria. It's all about who has power, influence and an iota of interest in getting whatever done.
Godswill Akpabio has a too well known history of getting what he wants. In all your getting, please get ALL sections of our East-West Road done now! Son-son, mbok. God speed Godswill for this duty.

Iniruo Wills

NLS Class of 88

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