By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has pushed back against critics of his administration’s latest infrastructure project, saying those using President Bola Tinubu’s recent comments on flyover construction to attack the state government are deliberately quoting the President out of context.
Aiyedatiwa made the clarification on Monday, 24 August, 2026 during the flag-off of a 2.38-kilometre flyover project at Oba Adesida Road in Akure, the state capital, insisting that the President’s remarks were never a blanket condemnation of flyover construction but a specific caution against building such infrastructure where it is unnecessary.
It had earlier been reported that President Tinubu urged state governors to stop building flyovers in areas with low traffic and instead channel their significantly increased federal allocations into road networks that would improve living standards and give security agencies better access to remote areas.
The President noted that states were now receiving four to five times what they previously collected from the Federation Account.
Aiyedatiwa said the Akure project falls outside the category the President was referring to.
“This is not the kind of location Mr President was referring to when he said governors should stop building flyovers,” he said.
“He said they should not erect them where they are unnecessary. Do not quote Mr President out of context. He said where it is necessary, you can do it. This one is more than necessary, and that is why we are doing it.”
He also commended the President for fiscal reforms that have enabled states to access more revenue from the Federation Account, saying the increased allocations have expanded the capacity of state governments to deliver critical infrastructure.
Justifying the project, Aiyedatiwa described the Oyemekun off Oba Adesida axis as one of the busiest arteries in Akure, connecting major markets, financial institutions, educational establishments, places of worship and dense residential settlements.
He said the state Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing conducted a careful study before the administration committed to the project.
“It is the corridor through which the economic life of Akure passes daily,” he said. “Increasing population, rising vehicular movement and expanding commercial activities have created persistent congestion and heightened the risk of road accidents. These challenges hamper productivity, discourage investment and compromise the safety and well-being of our citizens. A responsible government must therefore act decisively to remedy the situation, and that is exactly what we are doing right now.”
He described the flyover as a strategic intervention under his administration’s urban renewal and infrastructural development agenda and instructed the contractor to adhere strictly to approved design specifications and timelines, maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, quality, safety and integrity.
