The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has responded to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his recent criticism of the cost per kilometre of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying the governor misunderstood the technicalities involved in road construction and cost computation.

Speaking during an inspection tour of the Keffi Bridge and the Nasarawa–Toto Road projects in Nasarawa State on Saturday, Umahi said the highway’s cost had been thoroughly evaluated in line with global engineering standards and should not be reduced to “political soundbites.”

Governor Makinde had, in a viral video on Friday, queried the minister’s explanation of the project’s cost, accusing him of “dancing around” figures. He argued that the Federal Government must be transparent about how funds for the project were being utilised.

Reacting, Umahi described Makinde as “a brother and friend” but faulted his public remarks, suggesting the governor lacked the technical background to properly assess the project’s costing.

He said, “I heard that my brother and friend, Governor Makinde of Oyo State, said something about the cost per kilometre. I don’t want to join issues with him. I think he’s an engineer—an electrical engineer—but road construction is different. In governance and in engineering practice, I am his senior. So, anything he doesn’t understand, he should call me and ask.”

Umahi, who served as governor of Ebonyi State for eight years, insisted that the cost per kilometre of the coastal highway was computed using both estimated and average parameters, as required in engineering cost analysis.

“There is no ambiguity in cost per kilometre,” he explained. “It can be divided into estimated cost, which includes allowances for contingencies and variation of price, and average cost, which is definitive. When a project is completed, unused provisions such as contingencies are deducted to determine the actual cost.”

Umahi also mocked critics who sought explanations from Artificial Intelligence (AI) about the difference between “estimated” and “average” cost, saying even AI had validated his position.

“When someone without proper knowledge goes to ask AI about the difference between cost per kilometre and average cost, I’m happy that AI told him exactly what I said,” he quipped.

The minister further cited the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) recognition of professional practice as a form of expertise, saying his years of hands-on engineering experience qualified him as a “professor” in the field.

“I’m happy that the NUC’s definition of who qualifies as a professor made me right. You can become a professor through practice, and I believe God has made me one when it comes to practical engineering,” Umahi added.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of President Bola Tinubu’s flagship infrastructure projects, spanning over 700 kilometres and designed to connect several coastal states across southern Nigeria.