NNPP Chieftain, Olaoluwa Akinwande, Urges Governor Abiodun, Senator Salisu to Intervene
By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
Abeokuta, Ogun State – August 23, 2025
One year after Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, flagged off the reconstruction of the Abeokuta–Ifo–Ewekoro–Lagos Express Road with a promise of completion within 18 months, residents and motorists are expressing frustration over what they describe as “slow and inconsistent progress” on the project.
At the official flag-off ceremony on August 23, 2024, Governor Abiodun assured that the 70km stretch of the highway would be completed within a year and a half, noting that the road’s rehabilitation was crucial to both Ogun State and Nigeria’s economy. He also pledged that the project would relieve the long years of suffering experienced by commuters.
But twelve months down the line, commuters say their hopes are dimming. Instead of enjoying smoother rides, many complain of worsening traffic congestion, gridlocks, and accidents caused by the current state of the highway.
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Speaking with our correspondent, Hon. Comrade Olaoluwa Akinsola Akinwande, popularly known as OLAKINS, who is the Ogun Central Senatorial Youth Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), lamented that the exercise had become more of a burden than a relief.
“It is a year now since this project started, yet the exercise has not yielded better improvement. Rather, it is creating havoc for residents, passers-by, passengers, motorists and car owners who are plying this route daily,” Olaoluwa said.
The NNPP chieftain called on Governor Abiodun and Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, who represents Ogun Central at the National Assembly and had previously served as Chief of Staff to the governor, to urgently intervene in monitoring the project.
“The contractor and his workers are not consistent in the proper execution of their duties. They are fond of jumping from one point to another without completing a particular portion before moving to another. This inconsistency is the reason we are still battling with perpetual hold-ups and gridlock, one year after the flag-off,” he added.
Olaoluwa stressed that both the governor and Senator Salisu must ensure the contractor stays committed to the 18-month timeline, warning that any further delays would only deepen the suffering of the people and undermine confidence in government promises.
Residents and motorists along the Abeokuta–Ifo–Ewekoro axis echoed similar sentiments, urging the state government to prioritize quality and consistency in the reconstruction exercise.
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As the clock ticks towards February 2026 — the governor’s promised completion date — all eyes remain on the project’s progress, with many Ogun residents hoping that their long years of suffering on the critical highway will finally come to an end.
