Arise News anchor, Reuben Abati, has expressed disagreement with Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, over the decision to decorate the First Niger Bridge with only President Bola Tinubu's pictures. Abati made this statement during Arise Television's 'Morning Show' on Thursday. He argued that allowing only Tinubu's picture on the bridge is discriminatory, especially during the 2027 general election campaigns.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, had given the order on Wednesday while inspecting rehabilitation work on the bridge. Umahi's directive sparked controversy, with Abati differing with the minister's stance. Abati emphasized that if posters are to be displayed on the bridge, all candidates should be allowed to have their posters up. He stressed that restricting the display to only one candidate's poster is unfair.
Abati further highlighted that the money used to rehabilitate the bridge is Nigerians' money, and therefore, it should be accessible and fair to all citizens, regardless of their political affiliations. He noted that if there will be no posters on the bridge, then even President Tinubu's poster should not be displayed. Abati's comments have generated a heated debate on the issue.
The controversy surrounding the display of posters on the Niger Bridge comes amid the 2027 general election campaigns. Abati's argument is that all candidates should have equal access to the bridge for campaign purposes. He cited that restricting the display to only one candidate's poster could be seen as favoring a particular political party.
Reacting to Abati's comments, many have expressed support for his stance on fairness and equal opportunities for all candidates. Some have argued that the bridge, being a public infrastructure, should not be used to promote a particular candidate or party. The debate is expected to continue in the coming days.
The issue has also raised concerns about the role of the government in election campaigns and the use of public infrastructure for political purposes. Abati's comments have sparked a national conversation on the need for fairness and impartiality in the electoral process.
As the debate rages on, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to Abati's criticism and the public's reaction to the issue. The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has yet to respond to Abati's comments. The controversy surrounding the display of posters on the Niger Bridge is expected to continue in the coming days.
Key points
- Reuben Abati criticizes Dave Umahi's order to decorate Niger Bridge with only President Bola Tinubu's pictures, citing discrimination.
- Abati argues that all candidates should be allowed to display their posters on the bridge during the 2027 general election campaigns.
- The controversy has sparked a national conversation on fairness, impartiality, and the use of public infrastructure for political purposes.
