Atiku Humiliates Tinubu Over 81km Highway! “Why Inaugurate A Road From A Stadium? A Ribbon Cannot Complete A Road!”

By Passman Akpos

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come under fresh political scrutiny after his administration announced the inauguration of an 81-kilometre section of the Abuja-Kaduna highway during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna, triggering a sharp response from former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The controversy centres on a question that could prove difficult for the administration to dismiss: Why inaugurate a major highway at a political campaign rally inside a stadium instead of holding the ceremony at the actual project site, where Nigerians could see the road for themselves?

Atiku seized on the unusual arrangement, accusing the President of being disconnected from the daily struggles of Nigerians and questioning whether a ribbon-cutting ceremony could substitute for evidence that the road was completed and ready for public use.

The exchange has opened another front in the political battle ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the economy, infrastructure delivery and accountability becoming central issues.

THE STADIUM RIBBON-CUTTING THAT RAISED QUESTIONS

According to a State House press release issued on October 24, 2026, Tinubu inaugurated the 81-kilometre section of the Kaduna-Abuja highway through a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony during the APC presidential campaign flag-off at Ranchers Bees Stadium in Kaduna.

The Works Minister, Engr. Dave Umahi, also participated virtually in the commissioning of Lot 1 of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway.

But the arrangement has raised questions about the choice of venue and whether the event was designed primarily to showcase infrastructure delivery or to reinforce the ruling party’s campaign message.

A major highway is a public infrastructure project, not merely a political talking point. Nigerians have a legitimate interest in seeing what has been delivered, inspecting the condition of the road and determining whether the completed section meets the government’s claims.

If 81 kilometres of highway were ready for inauguration, why was the commissioning ceremony not held at the project site, with the President physically present to inspect the road and demonstrate its condition to the public?

Why hold a symbolic ribbon-cutting at a campaign rally instead?

Was the arrangement driven by logistical considerations, security concerns or the desire to combine an infrastructure announcement with the APC’s political mobilisation? The State House statement does not explain the choice of venue.

The commissioning announcement alone does not establish that the entire section is complete, fully operational or free of outstanding work. Those questions require evidence from the project site and relevant authorities.

For Nigerians who want tangible results rather than political declarations, the distinction matters.

ATIKU: ‘A ROAD CANNOT BE COMPLETED WITH A SPEECH OR A RIBBON-CUTTING’

Atiku Abubakar wasted little time in turning the highway commissioning into a political challenge to the President.

In a statement issued on October 24 by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, the former Vice President described Tinubu’s accusation that opposition leaders created hunger and poverty as a delusional attempt to avoid responsibility for the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

Atiku also questioned the decision to inaugurate the highway from inside a stadium.

“Your decision to commission the unfinished Abuja to Kaduna Expressway from inside a stadium shows how far removed you are from the daily reality of Nigerians,” Atiku said.

He added: “A road cannot be completed with a speech or a ribbon cutting ceremony.”

The remarks directly challenged the administration to demonstrate that its infrastructure announcements correspond with completed projects on the ground.

However, Atiku’s description of the road as unfinished remains an allegation by the opposition candidate. The State House statement announces the inauguration of an 81-kilometre section but does not provide sufficient project-level details to independently establish the completion status of every part of that section.

The government should therefore publish the relevant completion certificates, inspection records, details of outstanding work, and evidence of the section’s operational readiness.

Such documentation would help Nigerians assess the project’s actual status beyond the political exchanges.

‘WHO CREATED THE HUNGER?’ TINUBU BLAMES OPPOSITION

At the APC campaign flag-off, Tinubu accused opposition leaders of creating the hunger and poverty they now criticise his administration for failing to address.

“I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did. They created the hunger; they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it,” the President said.

His comments were apparently directed at opposition figures, including Atiku, who served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007.

The President also thanked Kaduna residents for supporting him in the 2023 election and urged them to give him another mandate in 2027, citing his administration’s investments in infrastructure and other development initiatives.

But Atiku argued that the APC had governed Nigeria for eight years before Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, making the ruling party’s record a central part of the debate over the country’s economic difficulties.

“Mr President, blaming the opposition for hunger is either delusion or a staggering case of political amnesia,” Atiku said.

He continued: “You have added another three and a half years. Nigerians know who has been in power, and hardship did not begin when the opposition started talking about it.”

Atiku’s argument is that the administration must be judged by its policies, decisions and results rather than by its explanations for the hardship Nigerians are experiencing.

The President’s supporters, meanwhile, maintain that his administration is implementing reforms intended to improve the economy and address longstanding structural problems.

The central question for voters is whether those policies are producing improvements in their daily lives.

ATIKU RAISES QUESTIONS OVER PETROL SUBSIDY, NAIRA AND POVERTY

Beyond the highway controversy, Atiku challenged Tinubu to account for the consequences of the administration’s economic policies.

He questioned the removal of the petrol subsidy and the depreciation of the naira, citing a fall in the currency’s value from approximately ₦471 to ₦1,329 per dollar.

He also referred to a World Bank poverty projection, alleging that 63 per cent of Nigerians would be below the national poverty line in 2026.

These figures and their precise scope should be assessed against the original economic data and reports. Nevertheless, Atiku’s broader argument is that the government cannot escape scrutiny over the cost of living by blaming political opponents for highlighting hardship.

He also questioned the extension of the 2024 budget into 2025 alongside the operation of a separate 2025 budget.

The ADC presidential candidate further raised questions about reported expenditure of ₦7.13 trillion under energy security in 2024 and ₦11.2 trillion in NNPC pipeline-related spending.

Atiku demanded explanations about who received the money, what it was spent on and what Nigerians received in return.

He also cited an alleged $12.4 billion gap in Nigeria’s external accounts for the first half of 2026 and questioned $22.5 million reportedly paid in other charges connected with an Abu Dhabi financing facility.

These are claims raised by the opposition campaign and require examination against the relevant official financial records. The allegations should not be treated as established findings of wrongdoing without supporting evidence.

The government should nevertheless recognise that substantial public expenditure attracts legitimate demands for transparency, documentation and accountability.

WHAT ABOUT SECURITY AND THE LIVES OF ORDINARY NIGERIANS?

Atiku also challenged the administration over continuing killings, kidnappings and displacement in communities across the country.

He argued that Nigerians were more concerned about their safety, purchasing power and living conditions than the political accusations traded at campaign rallies.

His criticism placed the highway commissioning within a broader debate about what constitutes meaningful governance.

For a family struggling to afford food, a trader battling rising costs or a community threatened by insecurity, the significance of a public project ultimately depends on its practical impact.

Infrastructure investment is important. But citizens also expect public officials to explain how projects are funded, whether they are completed as promised, and whether the benefits justify the expenditure.

The same standard should apply regardless of which political party is in power.

APC LEADERS DEFEND TINUBU’S RECORD

At the Kaduna rally, Vice President Kashim Shettima reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to national unity, democratic stability and economic development.

He urged Nigerians to support Tinubu for continuity, recalling the President’s previous political support for northern presidential candidates, including former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani praised the Federal Government’s cooperation with state governments, particularly in infrastructure, agriculture and programmes aimed at improving citizens’ welfare.

He also urged APC supporters to remain vigilant against misinformation during the electioneering period.

The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Abdulaziz Yari, defended the administration’s economic reforms and expressed confidence in the party’s ability to mobilise support ahead of the 2027 election.

The rally was attended by APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, Vice President Shettima, 32 APC governors, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu and other party leaders.

The turnout demonstrated the ruling party’s political mobilisation, but the larger test remains whether its claims of progress will withstand public scrutiny.

FIVE QUESTIONS TINUBU’S GOVERNMENT SHOULD ANSWER

The controversy over the highway commissioning raises several questions that deserve clear answers from the Federal Government and the Ministry of Works.

1. Why was the highway inaugurated from a campaign stadium?

Why was the symbolic ribbon-cutting conducted at Ranchers Bees Stadium instead of at the actual highway project site? The government should explain the choice of venue and whether the President inspected the completed section in person.

2. What is the actual completion status of the 81-kilometre section?

The Ministry of Works should publish its completion status, inspection records, outstanding work, relevant certification and the date the section became ready for public use.

3. How much has the project cost Nigerian taxpayers?

The government should provide a clear account of the contract value, payments made, variations, contractor details and the expenditure associated with the section being inaugurated.

4. Is the entire 81-kilometre section operational?

Nigerians deserve evidence of the road’s condition, accessibility and safety. A commissioning announcement should be accompanied by verifiable information about what has actually been delivered.

5. What measurable improvements can Nigerians expect?

The government should explain how the project will improve travel time, road safety, transport costs and connectivity between Abuja and Kaduna.

These questions are not an attack on infrastructure development. They are basic demands for accountability over public resources.

2027: RIBBON-CUTTING OR RESULTS?

Tinubu’s Kaduna campaign flag-off was intended to project the achievements of his administration and rally support for another presidential mandate.

Instead, the decision to inaugurate the highway section through a symbolic ceremony at the campaign venue has become a fresh point of contention between the President and his principal political challengers.

Atiku has seized the opportunity to question the administration’s economic record and demand evidence of its infrastructure claims.

The Federal Government, for its part, maintains that its investments and reforms are laying the foundation for national development.

Ultimately, the government must do more than announce projects, just as the opposition must do more than make allegations. Both claims should be tested against verifiable evidence.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony can announce a project, but it cannot replace an independent assessment of what has been completed. A campaign speech can promise progress, but it cannot substitute for results Nigerians can see and experience.

If the 81-kilometre section has been completed and is ready for use, the government should have little difficulty presenting the relevant evidence, including an on-site inspection and project documentation.

And if outstanding work remains, Nigerians deserve to know that as well.

As the 2027 election approaches, voters will have to decide whether the government’s record matches its promises.

The decisive question is not who can deliver the sharpest political insult at a campaign rally.

It is whether Nigerians are safer, more prosperous and better served by the government they elected.

Source: State House press release dated October 24, 2026, and a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication, ADC Presidential Campaign Council, on behalf of Atiku Abubakar.