Umahi refutes contract award claims, demands apology from Daily Trust Newspaper

By Kunle Sanni
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says he was misquoted regarding a claim attributing to him that Infoquest Nigeria Ltd received a “No Objection” certificate for the amount of N252.89 billion from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for the rehabilitation of a section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.
In a statement on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Orji Uchenna, Umahi also clarified that the Ministry has not awarded the contract to an obscure company, as was suggested.
Umahi said this in response to a report published by Daily Trust, which claimed that the Minister stated a portion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road project was awarded to Infoquest Nigeria Ltd.
The newspaper also reported that checks revealed Infoquest Nigeria Limited is listed as inactive on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) website.
It also highlighted that awarding the contract to this company violates the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) of 2020.
Reaction
During a press briefing in Abuja on January 21, Umahi responded to the report by clarifying that the Federal Ministry of Works has no business relationship with the company mentioned.
He also demanded an apology for the “false, misleading, and damaging” publication.
The Minister emphasized that the company involved in the project is Infiouest International Limited, which he described as fully compliant with all legal requirements under the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
He criticized the report as a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the Ministry, tarnish its reputation, and undermine the administration’s efforts to improve road infrastructure.
“This publication is a deliberate orchestration by a cartel to malign the Ministry, demarket a capable contractor, and sabotage the Renewed Hope administration’s infrastructure revolution,” Umahi said.
The Minister called on Daily Trust to issue a public apology to the Ministry, to be published in at least five national newspapers, for what he termed an unjustifiable attack on the Ministry’s credibility.
Allegations Against Julius Berger
Umahi also addressed recent publications by Julius Berger Plc regarding its withdrawal from a section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road project.
He described these as part of a coordinated attempt to blackmail the Ministry for its insistence on value-for-money policies, quality assurance, and best practices in project execution.
“These actions by contractors and their allies aim to undermine the government’s efforts to bring accountability and quality to infrastructure projects,” Umahi added, urging the media and public to support the Ministry in combating what he called “national sabotage.”
Call for Responsible Journalism
The Minister of State for Works, Mohammed Goronyo, lauded the Ministry’s swift response to counter the allegations, urging journalists to verify their facts before publishing reports.
“Media operators must avoid being tools for fifth columnists seeking to derail national progress. Let us always crosscheck information to ensure the truth is disseminated,” Goronyo said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Folunso Adebiyi, also called for “development journalism,” urging the media to uphold accuracy and truth in their professional duties.
The Ministry reiterated its commitment to delivering high-quality road projects while maintaining transparency and accountability in all its dealings.