Tinubu Has Approved Dualisation of Ado-Ekiti-Ikere-Akoko Road, Says Senate Leader 

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti 

Barely a day after hundreds of students and staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti staged a protest to show their displeasure over the deplorable state of the Ado-Ekiti- Ondo/Abuja road network, the Federal Government has approved the commencement of its dualisation.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, made the disclosure Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, via a statement made available to newsmen.

According to him, the Federal Government has approved the dualisation of the said  road network which is about 31 Kilometres long.

He said the construction work on the road project would commence soon.

The road links institutions such as the State Government College, Ado-Ekiti, the Federal Silos Centre, the state Cargo Airport under construction, and Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) and its 400-bed Multi-System Hospital.

The protesters, in their large numbers had on Monday prevented both commuters and motorists alike, from plying the road, thereby causing traffic congestion, which made all road activities to be at a standstill for the greater part of the day.

But, Bamidele, who recounted how thousands of students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti trooped out on Monday to protest the deplorable condition of the Ado-Ekiti-Ikare-Akoko road, listed Ado-Ekiti-Ikere-Akoko road, a 31-kilometre highway that connects Ekiti State to Federal Capital Territory through Ondo, Edo and Kogi States as approved for construction by President Bola Tinubu.

Sadly enough, according to the Senate leader, the protesting students did not know that the Federal Government had already awarded the contract to dualise the 31-kilometre road.

The highway, he said, was equally captured in the 2024 Appropriation Act purely enacted to implement strategic infrastructure projects that will create limitless opportunities for Nigerians across 36 states of the federation.

Bamidele, who spoke about the road reconstruction during a feedback session with one of the country’s foremost legal icons and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, in Ado Ekiti, added that: “The Ado-Ekiti-Ikere-Akoko, one of the 12 federal roads connecting Ekiti State to Kogi, Kwara, Ondo and Osun States, has suffered neglect even before democratic transition in 1999.

“Among others, the roads include Ifaki-Otun road, Ifaki-Ilasa-Omuo road, Ado-Ikere road, Ado-Ijan-Ikare road, Ado-Iyin-Aramoko road, Aramoko-Efon-Ijebu Jesa road, Efon-Iwaraja and Otun-Erinmope-Odo Owa road.”

Bamidele revealed that the dualisation of the Ado-Ekiti-Ikare-Akoko road was captured in the 2024 Appropriation Act and its reconstruction would commence before the end of the current financial year.

He explained that the reason for the dualisation of the road “is due to the volume of traffic on this inter-state highway that connects Ekiti to Abuja through Ondo, Edo and Kogi States. It is a decision taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.

“Aside, it is not only that the road was captured in the 2024 Appropriation Act. The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has identified it to the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Works as a priority federal road, whose reconstruction must take off this fiscal year. 

“The Federal Government has already commenced the design of the road because what was decided was that the road should be dualised from Ejigbo in Ado Ekiti up till 31 kilometres to Ikare Akoko. We will continue from there as a single lane.

“The reason for the dualisation is due to the volume of traffic on this corridor. When fully executed, the road will stand the test of time. This was a decision taken not just by the minister, but also by the president, who has tremendous respect for you,” he said.

Responding, Babalola expressed delight about the dualisation of the Ado-Ekiti-Ikare-Akoko road, noting that the news of its reconstruction was the news of the year to him.

He said the news about the dualisation of the primary road directly connecting ABUAD with other parts of the federation “is the news of the year to me in particular and Ekiti people in general”.

“Other federal roads that connect Ekiti to Kogi, Kwara, Ondo and Osun are still deplorable and dilapidated, seriously begging for the attention of the federal and state governments,” Babatola said.

He also spoke about the state of Ekiti Airport, lamenting how the airport was inaugurated before former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, completed his second term, adding that since the inauguration of the airport project, however, the legal icon observed that no plane had landed there due to the failure of Fayemi’s administration to complete the project.

He said: “I am currently financing the completion of the abandoned airport. The airport was inaugurated, but no plane can land there. I am currently financing the airport project to make it functional.”

He, therefore, urged the Senate leader to support Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, noting that both of them “are absolutely committed to the development of Ekiti State.”