The First Niger Bridge linking Anambra and Delta states is set to display pictures of President Bola Tinubu after rehabilitation, following a directive from the Minister of Works, David Umahi.
Umahi gave the instruction on Wednesday during an inspection of ongoing rehabilitation work on the bridge, which was shut earlier in September after vandals removed structural components, including bolts, nuts and sections of the expansion joint.
The minister directed that illegal advertisements on the bridge be removed once the rehabilitation is completed and replaced with pictures of Tinubu.
“Once we are done with work on this bridge, I want all the illegal adverts on this bridge removed. Anyone who wants to advertise should apply to the Ministry of Works. For now, the bridge will be decorated with the pictures of President Tinubu,” Umahi said.
“The President has worked so hard and we need to reward his hard work by decorating this bridge with his pictures.”
During the inspection, Umahi also appealed to voters in the South-East ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He urged residents of the region to consider projects executed under Tinubu’s administration, arguing that the South-East had benefited from federal infrastructure despite its limited support for the President during the last election.
“I want to say to Ndigbo that we should not throw away our votes in 2027. In the last election we did not vote for him so well, yet he is bringing projects to our region,” the minister said.
Umahi, an All Progressives Congress member, also challenged supporters of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, to identify projects Obi had attracted to the South-East.
“I have a bragging right in Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and I’m proud of him and will be willing to show anyone who wants to know all that he has done,” he said.
“Peter Obi is our brother and we do not hate him, but we need to be realistic this time. I don’t care about people abusing me on social media, they should only tell us what Obi has attracted to the South East.”
The comments came as work on the First Niger Bridge approaches completion, with the Federal Ministry of Works planning to reopen the facility next week.
The bridge had initially been scheduled to reopen on September 21, but persistent rainfall affected the rehabilitation programme, resulting in a one-week extension.
Umahi said the government would not reopen the bridge until essential structural work had been completed.
“We will be here next week to open the bridge,” he said.
The minister also directed that no security checkpoint should be located within 200 metres of the bridge, arguing that checkpoints could worsen traffic and put additional pressure on the structure.
The rehabilitation has involved replacing vandalised bolts and expansion joints, alongside repairs to the carriageway and walkways.
CCTV cameras and streetlights are also being installed as part of the work, while further structural improvements are being undertaken.
Umahi directed the governors of Anambra and Delta states to monitor scrap markets in their respective states because of concerns over the vandalism of public infrastructure.
He also said dredging activities around the bridge could be restricted where necessary, while structural assessments would continue to ensure the facility remains safe.
According to the minister, one carriageway could initially be reopened while work continues on the other once the concrete attains the required strength.
Umahi apologised to motorists for the disruption caused by the closure and thanked the Anambra and Delta state governments for their cooperation during the rehabilitation.
