“East-West road must not ot be casualty of politics”- CSO scribe

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Rev. David Ugolor, a civil society leader and Convener of the Common Good Letter Initiative, has urged Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole to set aside political differences and focus on completing the East-West Road, calling it the most critical issue for the South-South region.
In an open letter, Ugolor emphasized that the ongoing disputes between these influential South-South leaders should not become a burden on the people of the Niger Delta.
He pointed out that with Senator Akpabio serving as Senate President—the third highest constitutional position in Nigeria—and Senator Oshiomhole wielding significant influence in the Senate, the region has a rare chance to lead purposefully.
“It is therefore deeply disappointing that public focus has increasingly shifted to disagreements and political battles instead of addressing the urgent needs of the people who elected you,” the letter stated.
According to him, the East-West Road, known as the economic lifeline of the Niger Delta, remains a disgrace for Nigeria more than twenty years after it was conceived.
“For over two decades, successive governments have devoted substantial public resources to this project, yet millions of Nigerians still suffer unnecessary hardships because the road is incomplete,” he said.
He highlighted the everyday impact on citizens: endless traffic jams, billions lost by businesses, preventable accidents, and rising insecurity. “Investors are discouraged, while ordinary citizens continue to pay the price for government failure,” the letter added.
Ugolor argued that this infrastructure crisis ought to be the defining issue for every elected official from the South-South. “The people are not asking who is winning political arguments in Abuja. They are asking when the East-West Road will finally be finished,” he said.
The civil society leader called on both senators to show statesmanship by putting the common good above political differences. He urged them to rally bipartisan support for an “East-West Road Emergency Initiative” that would focus on securing funding, ensuring transparency, providing independent oversight, and setting clear deadlines for completion.
“Imagine what history would say if, under the leadership of a South-South Senate President and with the united backing of South-South senators, Nigeria finally finished the East-West Road. That would be a legacy worth remembering,” Ugolor wrote.
He reminded lawmakers that history rarely remembers political quarrels, but rather leaders who solve problems.
“I therefore leave you with one simple but profound question: What do you want history to remember you for?” the letter asked.
“Will it remember that, at a time when the South-South held unprecedented influence in the National Assembly, its leaders were divided while the East-West Road continued to decline? Or will it remember that you rose above differences, united in the interest of your people, and delivered the most crucial highway in the Niger Delta?”
Ugolor concluded that the people of the Niger Delta deserve leadership that puts politics aside and uses every constitutional power at their disposal to improve their region and the nation.
“May this be your defining moment. The common good is always greater than personal or political differences,” the statement concluded.