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Opinion: Time To Overhaul Lekki Concession Company-Michael Effiong

Published

6 years ago

July 16, 2020

Editor

By Michael Effiong

If you live in Lagos and commute around Nigeria’s commercial capital, and have any business around the Lekki-Epe axis, chances are that you would have encountered the Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

The company, which is now publicly owned, has become a huge uncontrollable monster with no modicum of respect for the very people it is supposed to serve-and is attracting very negative vibes for the present government.

Before going on to outline my angst against LCC, it will be necessary to take us down memory to the very beginning, could it be that the circumstances of its birth had led to its present show of impunity and “I don’t Care attitude”?

Established in 2006, the Lekki Concession Company began as a Special Purpose Vehicle set up to execute the Lekki Toll Road Concession Project. The Project was a Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme and used the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT). The Concession was for a period of 30 years.

Conceived during the Tinubu administration, it was hailed as the best thing to happen to Lagos after the Third Mainland Bridge, it was applauded as innovative and well thought out. The government got kudos for the gigantic effort to modernize the Lekki-Epe area with our own equivalent of the German autobahn.

The original stretch of road was made up of two lanes and was tarred by the Lateef Jakande administration and so this was an initiative meant at improving that impressive job by the action governor.

To begin the execution of the project, funding came from different sources including a $85million concessionary loan from African Development Bank. This loan gave the impression that LCC had enough money to complete the whole stretch plus the alternative routes that formed a part of the project’s originally- approved design. The company had indicated that it would toll the road from Kilometre 3, Kilometre 13 and Kilometre 23.

Lagosians were enthusiastic and cared less about the tolling as far as the project is completed and they can drive smoothly on well-paved expressway from Victoria-Island to Epe.

The enthusiasm of having such a fantastic road was really high and I remember having a chat with then Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LCC, Mr Opuiyo Oforiokuma on a Lagos-Accra flight. With a smile on his face, he told me that this expressway would add value to that corridor as well as enhance economic development and productivity. “Lagosians should be patient, they will thank us years later for the work we are doing there”, the urbane gentleman stated and I had no reason to doubt his confidence.

I want to say that Lagosians have been very patient with LCC for the past 14 years. Contrary to what was proposed and despite not working at the speed expected, LCC has been collecting toll. It also did not do much in the area of alternative routes.

Therefore, all road users going to Lekki from Victoria Island or residents of local communities along that corridor intending to to go to Epe or Victoria Island have no choice but to pass through this route and pay the toll.

In not time without much work, LCC decided to build another toll plaza just before Oluwanisola Estate, the impressive home of famous industrialist, Chief Rasak Okoya and begun a test run in preparation for the beginning of another tolling spree before vociferous protests stopped that misadventure, since then, it has not had the gumption to attempt it again

As if it did not have its hands full, in 2013, Governor Babatunde Fashola added the lovely Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge,a 1.36 km cable-stayed bridge to the already juicy pot of soup enjoyed by LCC. It now had bigger responsibility and making money from two fronts.

Buoyed by this monopoly and deeming itself as now untouchable, LCC forgot its responsibilities completely. The road was not being worked on at the speed expected for a private enterprise. It was in the midst of this inaction that we woke up one fine morning to be told that the Lagos State Government was buying back the LCC stake for N7.5billion.

Governor Fashola had sent a letter to the Speaker, Rt Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji for a further amendment to the year’s budget, this he said is “Predicated on the need to fund the acquisition and existing concession rights and toll revenue benefits held by the Lekki Concession Company, the Concessionaire for the Eti-Osa-lekki-Epe Expressway. This will effectively accelerate the transfer of the ownership of the road to the state, leaving the state with wider policy options with regards to that all important road”. Of course there was furore in town.

In a statement signed by Ade Ipaye and Ayo Gbeleyi, Commissioners for Justice and Finance respectively, the state government said that it had engaged in buying back of the concession rights ahead of the 30-year period stipulated in the Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) Concession Agreement. This, according to the state government, is to be achieved by purchasing all the shares in LCC.

The State Government stated that its decision to “buy back” the concession rights was due to several developments not envisaged in the 2006 Concession Agreement.

According to the statement, with the devaluation of the Naira and increased costs of construction, the underlying assumptions and market indicators under which the transaction was concluded had drastically changed in a manner that it can no longer be sustained in its current form.

“The LCC, which is the special purpose vehicle representing the investors, formally brought it to the attention of the State Government that given the rapid rise in interest rates on local loans, and other cost parameters, it is compelled to raise tolls currently being charged at Toll Plaza One from N120.00 to N144.00 per Car.

“The Concessionaire also brought it to the attention of the State Government, that as provided for under the agreement, tolling would have to commence at Toll Plaza Two.

“In addition, the Concessionaire indicated that unless it realised more income from increased rates at Toll Plaza One and commence tolling at the same rate per Car at Toll Plaza Two, it would not be able to meet its commitments to investors in the project and continue to fund completion of the remaining sections of the road.

“Furthermore, the LCC stated that Toll Plaza Three, as contained in the Agreement, must be built and tolls collected for the continued viability of the project.”

The Lagos State Government said that it felt obliged to buy out the interests of the LCC in advance of the hand-over date of 2038 under a mutual settlement option also expressly provided for in the Concession Agreement.

“This is after due consultation with all major stakeholders including the Lagos State House of Assembly based on various feedback and agitation made to the Government,” the statement said.

“Contrary to the misleading reports by some sections of the media on Wednesday, August 27, 2013 from the State House of Assembly’s consideration and approval of the 2013 Supplementary Budget, the buy-back is not and does not amount to a ‘termination’ or ‘cancellation’ of the concession of Eti-Osa, Lekki-Epe Expressway.

“The significance of the buy-back, for which the State Government deserves commendation, is that it allows the Government to take full control over the determination of the toll rates in order to continue to make it affordable for road users.

“The LCC shall therefore continue to operate as a fully commercial entity for the benefit of taxpayers and the larger society,” the commissioner said.

Now, take another look at the some lines of this statement, LCC was grumbling about not collecting additional toll, imagine! Anyway, the Lagos State government said “it will operate the new LCC for the benefit of the taxpayers and the larger society”- and this is the crux of the matter and the reason for this my epistle.

Has LCC since that buy back been working in the interest of the people? I have my doubts, without breaking a sweat, I will say a capital No. Its activities to say the least has been anti-people.

LCC, for example, has completely abandoned the idea of extending the road, it is languishing around Ajah presently. Companies and commuters are groaning over loss of man hours and revenue.

Today, plying that part of Lagos is nightmarish. It is at your own risk. Many sections along the road have collapsed. In deed, it is a complete embarrassment, it is a huge insult to add the word “express” to that road, it has become that bad and people now derisively refer to it “Lekki-Epe Slowpress Road”

God help you if you are caught on that stretch of road on a rainy day, be ready to have your breakfast, lunch and if care is not taken, dinner enroute your destination.

A friend who was so unfortunate to experience LCC’s idea of an expressway wrote on facebook that his SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) was disgraced that day by the rain and the gullies, and I jocularly wrote that next time, he should ensure he rides in an HUV (Heavy Utility Vehicle). It was a joke, but for those who go through this nightmare everyday, it is not a joking matter at all.

As if that is not torture enough, on the Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge, LCC’s incompetence is rearing its ugly head again.

As if that is not torture enough, on the Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge, LCC’s incompetence is rearing its ugly head again.

We all know that the government has ordered that no cash payment would be accepted on that bridge currently, maybe, for the sake of probity, which is a good thing, but some people are hell bent on frustrating or should I say sabotaging that noble effort by Governor Sanwo-Olu

Can you imagine that I have been trying for over a week to use the LCC webportal to register and purchase the required toll pass to ply the bridge?

All I have seen written on the page www.lcc.com.ng is “We’ll be right back. Our site is undergoing scheduled maintenance. It won’t take long we promise. Come back and visit us in few days”.

LCC’s “few days” has turned into weeks, and waiting for the LCC site to function has become like waiting for Godot, that fictional character in Samuel Beckett’s famous play.

If not for impunity, how will such a website experience so long a downtime and the company had not deemed it fit to issue a statement, a clear lack of empathy for its clients.

How long does it take to fix such an important website? They simply do not care! In case the top shots at LCC have forgotten, it is a publicly-owned company, this kind of lackadaisical attitude is unacceptable.

I believe it is time for Governor Sanwo-Olu to reevaluate and overhaul the operations of the LCC, that monster must be tamed and whipped into shape before it throws a huge blot on his sterling record. We now pay higher tariff but get lower service, that is not the kind of legacy this government wants to be remembered for.

In the same vein, Mr. Governor should also revisit the issue of the Coastal Road that has been on the drawing board for years now. The alignment of the proposed road has been mapped out, property owners affected have been notified and many have been refused planning approval to ensure they do not obstruct this project. Perhaps if there are more alternatives to the Lekki-Epe Expressway, LCC will not threat its clients and commuters like thrash.

Finally, it is a good thing that Mr Governor has taken a bold step regarding construction of the Regional Road, which is also key in terms of the traffic congestion and movement around that axis, kudos to him, but it is obvious that he still has many rivers to cross.

Michael Effiong, a Lagos-based journalist, is Editor of Ovation International magazine

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Israeli Ambassador Accuses Iran of Spreading Terror, Sponsoring Extremist Activities in Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

March 6, 2026

Eric

Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, has accused Iran of sponsoring extremist activities in Nigeria and other parts of the world, alleging that Tehran supports groups aimed at destabilising countries while pursuing its hostility against Israel.

Freeman made the remarks on Friday while speaking during an interview on The Morning Show on Arise News.

The envoy claimed that Iran is the only country within the United Nations that openly expresses a desire to destroy another sovereign state, referring to repeated threats against Israel.

According to him, the Iranian government has, over several decades, supported militant groups and terror organisations around the world in pursuit of that objective.

Freeman alleged that Iran has backed groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, adding that Tehran was also behind the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas against Israel.

He further claimed that Iranian activities aimed at spreading instability have been observed across several regions, including Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa.

Speaking specifically about Nigeria, the Israeli ambassador alleged that the Islamic Movement of Nigeria receives backing from the Iranian government.

According to Freeman, statements of support from Iran’s leadership, including posts by Ali Khamenei on social media, have openly indicated such ties.

He said: “The issue here is about Iran. Iran is the only country in the world, in the United Nations, who expressly desires to wipe another country off the face of the earth. Iran has stated its very policy is to destroy Israel. Is to wipe Israel off the map is to make sure they kill every single person and no regime, no country that has an express desire to destroy Israel, and it’s not only an expressed desire.

“We’ve seen over 47 years, they’ve taken all the actions they can in order for that to happen. We’ve seen them sponsor terror organizations. They were behind October the seventh massacre of Hamas. We’ve seen them sponsoring Hezbollah. We’ve seen them acting in Europe. We’ve seen them acting in Australia. We’ve seen them acting in Nigeria.

“We’ve seen these people acting all across the world in order to spread disturbance for them to try and carry out their aim of destroying Israel, and Israel will not allow another country to have nuclear weapons when they’ve expressly stated they want those weapons to destroy Israel”.

“I think that it is well documented. We know that there are certain movements, for example, the Islamic movement of Nigeria is sponsored and is backed by the Iranian regime. This is not me saying this, we’ve seen that documented by the Iranian regime.

The Supreme Leader posted on X his support and his backing there. So that’s very open. And there are other areas as well that Iran is working for, destabilizing, not only Nigeria, but all of West Africa.”

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Why Nigerians Must Reject INEC’s Revised Timetable – ADC

Published

1 week ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), during the week, released a fresh elections timetable, with major amendments to accommodate the just passed and signed Electoral Act 2026 by the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu respectively.

Following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities, the Commission has reviewed and realigned the Schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework.

Accordingly, the Commission has resolved as follows:

Presidential and National Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 16th January 2027 as against the earlier stated February 20, 2027
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 6th February 2027 as against the former date of March 6, 2027

Also in accordance with the approved Schedule of Activities, the electoral bidy noted in the revised timetable that:

Conduct of Party Primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from primaries, will commence on 23rd April 2026 and end on 30th May 2026.

Presidential and National Assembly campaigns will commence on 19th August 2026.

Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns will commence on 9th September 2026.

As provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before Election Day. Political parties are strongly advised to adhere strictly to these timelines. The Commission will enforce compliance with the law.

But in a swift reaction, the opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress (ADC), rejected the revised 2026–2027 general election timetable, describing it as a politically biased schedule designed to favour the re-election agenda of President Bola Tinubu, and calling on all Nigerians to speak up enmasse to reject the revised timetable.

The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday argued that the new deadlines and compliance requirements under the Electoral Act 2026 create near-impossible hurdles for opposition parties seeking to field candidates.

On February 13, INEC initially scheduled the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were fixed for March 6, 2027.

The timetable, however, faced objections from some Muslim stakeholders who noted that the dates coincided with the 2027 Ramadan period.

Following the concerns, the National Assembly amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, reducing the required election notice period from 360 to 300 days, allowing INEC to adjust the election dates.

Subsequently, INEC released a revised schedule on Thursday, signed by its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, moving the Presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to February 6, 2027.

Reacting, the ADC said the requirement that political parties submit a comprehensive digital membership register by April 2, 2026, effectively bars opposition parties from participating.

The party stated: “The African Democratic Congress rejects the updated 2026–2027 electoral timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission. What has been presented as a routine administrative schedule of the upcoming general elections is, in fact, a political instrument carefully structured to narrow democratic space and strengthen the incumbent administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“According to the timetable, party primaries are to be conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026, just 55 to 92 days from today. However, more significant is that, pursuant to Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, political parties are required to submit their digital membership registers to INEC not later than April 2, 2026.

“That is only about 34 days away. Section 77(7) further provides that any party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated time shall not be eligible to field a candidate. These are not routine administrative rules but are deliberately constructed barriers designed to exclude the opposition from participating in the election.”

The party further noted that Section 77(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires the digital register of members to contain name, sex, date of birth, address, state, local government, ward, polling unit, National Identification Number (NIN) and photograph in both hard and soft copies, while Section 77(6) prohibits the use of any pre-existing register that does not contain the specified information. It warned that failure to meet these requirements would lead to disqualification.

The ADC questioned the fairness of the digital membership requirement, noting that the ruling All Progressives Congress began its registration process in February 2025, long before the requirement became mandatory.

“It is not a product of foresight but insider advantage. They knew what was coming. They therefore had one full year to carry out an exercise that other political parties are expected to complete in one month, during which they must collect, process, collate and transmit large volumes of digital data to INEC under the threat of exclusion. This is practically impossible.

“Democratic competition is based on a level playing field that does not give any contestant an undue advantage. A system where one party exploits incumbency to gain a one-year head start on a requirement that other parties only became aware of when it was nearly too late is a rigged system.”

The ADC said it has joined other opposition parties in rejecting the Electoral Act 2026, adding that the INEC timetable is equally rejected as it appears designed to serve what it described as a self-succession agenda.

“Let it be clear that ADC will not take any action that appears to confer legitimacy on a fraudulent system. We are reviewing our options and will make our position known in the coming days,” the party said.

The party also called on civil society organisations, democratic stakeholders and Nigerians to scrutinise the timetable and demand fairness, stressing that democracy cannot survive when electoral rules are structured to produce predetermined outcomes.

The party has consistently accused the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) of scheming to silence the opposition as the 2027 General Elections draw closer, citing his manipulation of state governors and Assembly members from jumping ship, and settling with the ruling party.

Presently, the president’s party has a total of 31 out of 36 states governors, more than majority of the national and states Houses of Assembly.

A frontline publisher and chieftain of the ADC, Chief Dele Momodu, has warned that Tinubu is gradually transforming into full-blown dictatorship, stressing that his second term in office would turn state governors into ‘total slaves’.

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Second Term for Tinubu Will Turn Governors into Total Slaves, Dele Momodu Warns

Published

1 week ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

Chairman, Ovation Media Group, and former presidential aspirant, Aare Dele Momodu, has expressed strong concern over what he described as growing political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu among state governors across the country.

Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Momodu said he was shocked by the level of backing the president is reportedly receiving, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could face serious risks if the current political trend continues.

The media entrepreneur cautioned that allowing Tinubu to secure a second term in 2027 could, in his view, lead to excessive concentration of power. He particularly criticized what he described as a growing wave of opposition figures aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress> (APC).

Momodu referenced reports of opposition governors, including Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, allegedly moving closer to the ruling party, describing the development as politically troubling.

According to him, some governors are allegedly competing to demonstrate loyalty to the president ahead of future elections.

“The governors are fighting to ensure Tinubu wins a second term, fighting to be the biggest thug for him. If a man in his first term can capture the bodies and souls of Nigerians this way, imagine what he would do with a second term. It will be a full-blown dictatorship, and the governors will regret it as they become total slaves to him,” Momodu said.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and actively protect democratic institutions, warning that unchecked consolidation of political power could threaten the nation’s democracy and future stability.

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