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Defective Osun Flyover Sparks Political Dispute Ahead of Polls
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Defective Osun Flyover Sparks Political Dispute Ahead of Polls

From Premium Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A newly inaugurated flyover in Osogbo, Nigeria, has developed structural defects just weeks after its opening, sparking a political dispute.
  • The Osun State government is investigating the damage, with the governor suggesting vandalism, while the opposition blames poor construction.
  • The incident occurs ahead of the state's governorship election, intensifying the political rivalry between the ruling Accord Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Lameco Flyover in Osogbo, Nigeria, inaugurated less than a month ago, has become a focal point of political contention. Structural defects have appeared on the bridge, prompting authorities to cordon off a section and launch an investigation.

I inspected the vandalised section of the Lameco Flyover in Osogbo. I commend the hardworking engineers from the Ministry of Works who have swiftly mobilised to the site to ensure immediate repairs.

โ€” Governor Ademola AdelekeFollowing his inspection of the damaged flyover section.

Governor Ademola Adeleke, who commissioned the 672-meter flyover on July 1 as part of a N100 billion infrastructure plan, inspected the damage and described it as vandalism. He commended engineers for their swift response and directed security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible. "It is unfortunate that some saboteurs, whose sole objective is to undermine our developmental strides and destroy the legacy of this administration, would resort to attacking public infrastructure built with taxpayersโ€™ resources," Adeleke stated.

It is unfortunate that some saboteurs, whose sole objective is to undermine our developmental strides and destroy the legacy of this administration, would resort to attacking public infrastructure built with taxpayersโ€™ resources.

โ€” Governor Ademola AdelekeCommenting on the damage to the flyover.

However, preliminary findings from the Ministry of Works suggest the damage may be due to sabotage rather than structural failure. Permanent Secretary Bashiru Bello explained that holes were deliberately blocked with cloth, causing water to accumulate beneath the asphalt surface. He asserted that the road met specifications, with asphalt thickness exceeding the required standard. The incident has intensified the political rivalry between the ruling Accord Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with each party trading accusations.

They placed cloth on the holes, so passers-by did not notice them. The water started accumulating underneath.

โ€” Bashiru BelloExplaining the preliminary findings on the flyover damage.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Premium Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.