…Defends Tinubus Borrowing Plans
By CHIJIOKE ASOGWA
Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Peter Nwebonyi, has highlighted his constituency projects in Ebonyi North Senatorial District, listing concrete road construction, education, healthcare and water supply interventions as major achievements of his representation.
Nwebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North, said his approach to constituency development was driven by a commitment to delivering durable infrastructure capable of serving communities for decades rather than projects that deteriorate shortly after commissioning.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with journalists on Wednesday, November 4, shortly after plenary at the National Assembly in Abuja, Senator Nwebonyi disclosed that he had installed 20 motorised solar-powered borehole units across his constituency, each with a storage capacity of 10,000 litres.
He also highlighted several concrete road projects executed in Ebonyi North, insisting that quality and durability remained central to his constituency interventions.
Displaying one of the concrete road projects during the interview, Nwebonyi claimed that its construction standard was designed to guarantee a lifespan of up to 100 years.
He challenged other lawmakers to demonstrate similar commitment to quality infrastructure, criticising what he described as a practice of executing poorly constructed roads that begin to deteriorate within three years.
“Is there any lawmaker in Nigeria that has done this quality of road that will last for decades? I say I won’t be a fake leader. Anything I do must stand the test of time,” he declared.
To independently establish the quality of his constituency road projects, Nwebonyi announced plans to invite the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) to conduct integrity tests on the concrete pavements.
According to him, the exercise would form part of a comprehensive inspection tour of his constituency projects scheduled to take place before December.
He said findings from the inspection would be made public, allowing residents and relevant stakeholders to assess the quality and standard of projects delivered under his representation.
Beyond road construction, Nwebonyi said his constituency interventions also covered education, healthcare and provision of potable water, adding that he had committed personal resources, including portions of his salary, to support some of the projects.
He, however, clarified that while some interventions were funded through his personal resources, others were executed with government funding.
The Senator maintained that his legislative philosophy was centred on delivering tangible benefits to constituents and ensuring that public investments translated into lasting improvements in their living conditions.
Defends Federal Government’s Infrastructure Programme
Speaking on Nigeria’s economic situation, Nwebonyi defended President Bola Tinubu’s foreign borrowing requests, including a reported $7.7 billion facility, arguing that public borrowing should be assessed based on how funds are utilised and their capacity to generate economic returns.
He maintained that borrowing was not inherently harmful to an economy, citing the United States and China as examples of countries that obtain loans to finance development projects.
“Getting loans is one thing; utilisation of the loan is another thing. Even America gets loans to finance its projects. Even China gets loans to finance its projects,” he said.
According to him, President Tinubu has a responsibility to source funds to finance approved budgets, particularly when government revenue is insufficient to meet expenditure commitments.
He cited Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway as an example of infrastructure investment capable of generating revenue through tolling and stimulating economic activities.
“The coastal highway, yes, we borrowed money to do it. That road will repay the loan and become a source of revenue to the Federal Government because those roads are going to be tolled,” he stated.
Nwebonyi acknowledged prevailing economic difficulties, including inflation and rising living costs, but argued that sustained investment in infrastructure and productive sectors was necessary to reverse the situation.
“We are all crying of hunger. We are all crying of inflation. Something must be done to reverse the gear, and that is what the President is doing,” he added.
Lists Federal Projects in South-East
On allegations that Tinubu’s administration had neglected the South-East, Nwebonyi dismissed such claims, pointing to several federal road projects which he said had improved connectivity across the region.
He cited Enugu–Onitsha Road, noting that construction of one carriageway with concrete pavement and streetlights had significantly reduced travelling time between both cities.
According to him, a journey that previously took between three and four hours could now be completed in less than one hour along the improved stretch.
He also referenced Enugu–Abakaliki Road, which he said was undergoing dualisation with concrete technology designed to improve durability and reduce frequent maintenance.
Nwebonyi noted that improvements on the route had reduced travelling time between Abakaliki and Enugu from approximately two hours to about 40 minutes.
Similarly, he highlighted improvements along Abakaliki–Port Harcourt Road, arguing that travelling time had dropped from about four hours to approximately one hour.
He also commended completion of Bodo–Bonny Road, which he said had suffered decades of setbacks before being delivered under the Tinubu administration.
Another major project he identified was a 464-kilometre road linking Ebonyi, Benue and other states towards Abuja, describing it as particularly important to agricultural communities in the South-East and South-South.
Nwebonyi recalled that on August 23, 2023, barely two months after assuming office, he moved a motion in the Senate drawing attention to the deplorable condition of an old road linking Ebonyi and Benue.
He described the road, reportedly opened by colonial authorities in 1948, as strategically important because Ebonyi and Benue are major food-producing states.
According to him, following his intervention, the Federal Government adopted the proposal and expanded the route to connect with the wider coastal highway network.
He said the road would run from Calabar through Afikpo and his community, Bekiseke, before extending through Benue and Nasarawa towards Abuja.
Nwebonyi disclosed that earthworks on the project had reached approximately 40 per cent completion, expressing optimism that its eventual delivery would improve movement of agricultural produce and strengthen commercial activities across the benefiting communities.
He also described Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway as a strategic economic corridor, claiming that approximately 50 per cent of the project had been completed.
According to him, plans for more than 30 dams along the wider coastal corridor would support agricultural clusters and boost food production.
“Who has remembered the South-East and South-South in this manner? These are the reasons why everybody is clamouring for Tinubu. Whether you like him or not, we love what he is doing,” he said.
Expresses Confidence in APC’s 2027 Prospects
On the political outlook ahead of the 2027 general elections, Nwebonyi expressed confidence that all five South-East states would support President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He attributed what he described as the growing appeal of APC to infrastructure development and other governance initiatives under the current administration.
Reacting to allegations of political intimidation in Sokoto State, where ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar reportedly accused the state government and security operatives of frustrating his party’s campaign activities, Nwebonyi said he could not independently verify the claims.
He maintained that such allegations required proper investigation rather than conclusions based on political exchanges.
Urges Youths to Demonstrate Responsible Leadership
Nwebonyi also criticised what he described as a growing tendency among young Nigerians to condemn political leaders on social media without demonstrating accountability in their own leadership positions.
He argued that demands for responsible governance should begin with individual conduct in schools, religious organisations, clubs and community associations.
Illustrating his position, he narrated an encounter with a school head boy whom he said had fairly distributed an item entrusted to him among fellow students instead of keeping the entire benefit for himself.
According to the Senator, such conduct demonstrated the importance of integrity, fairness and accountability among young people aspiring to leadership positions.
He urged youths to practise the values they expect from elected officials, maintaining that responsible conduct at the grassroots level was necessary to rebuild public confidence in political leadership.
Nwebonyi reiterated that his constituency projects were driven by a desire to demonstrate that political representation could produce tangible benefits for ordinary citizens.
He expressed confidence that, with more opportunities, he would sustain his development initiatives and continue to raise standards in constituency project execution.
“If God gives me more opportunity, I will continue to do extraordinary things. That is leadership,” he said.
