The unfolding drama that President Bola Tinubu awarded the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project contract to Gilbert Chagoury’s company, in which First Son Seyi Tinubu sits on its board, has sparked critical reactions online.

In a statement, opposition leader Atiku Abubakar berated the Tinubu-led government, accusing it of inflating the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project to favour his son and his ally Mr Chagoury.

The Presidency, reacting to Mr Abubakar’s criticisms on Monday, claimed the president’s son’s involvement with Mr Chagoury’s firm is immaterial, condemning Mr Atiku for complaining about the deal.

“We found it strange that Alhaji Atiku could accuse President Tinubu of a conflict of interest in the award of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway to Hitech Construction Company, which he claimed is owned by the Chagoury family because the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu, sits on the board of CDK, a tiles manufacturing company, based in Sagamu, Ogun State,” said a statement by Mr Tinubu’s aide, Bayo Onanuga. 

The statement added, “It is important to state clearly that Seyi Tinubu is a 38-year-old adult who has a right to do business and pursue his business interests in Nigeria and anywhere in the world within the limits of the law. The fact that his father is now the President of Nigeria does not disqualify Seyi from pursuing legitimate business interests.” 

This has left many Nigerians questioning the transparency in the award of the contract and accusing the government of corruption and nepotism.

Some recalled Mr Tinubu’s popular campaign slogan, “emi lokan,”  meaning “it was his turn to be president” in the Yoruba language. They said the N15 trillion contract handed to a company with ties to his son proves that his presidency will run Nigeria like a “family business.” 

“First, this is ethically wrong, in my honest opinion. There exists a conflict of interest,” an X user, Enwagboso, said matter-of-factly. 

@NkechiJoy17 said, “We are Emi lokan government. Please, don’t disturb us.” 

Another X user, @Codshalom77, said, “Now we know the reason that there was no single due process in the award of the Coastal Road contract. Imagine Hitech moved to the site before citizens knew what was going on about such a humongous money-sapping misadventure of FG.” 

Referring to Mr Tinubu’s drug dealing case in the U.S., another X user, @Godmvde, said, “The moment Nigerians allowed a drug dealer to be their president, all illegalities that were once frowned against became a norm. Today, nepotism, tribalism and favouritism have become the order of the day.” 

Berating the National Assembly for ignoring Mr Tinubu’s alleged malfeasance, @Donbez2 said, “This sort of huge corruption and sidetrack of Nigerian laws can only happen in Nigeria without intervention from the parliament. Of what use is NASS?” 

Another netizen, @Ugochuksogb, noted, “If not that we have a walking stick National Assembly @nassnigeria which Tinubu picks up whenever he wants to take a stroll, why would lawlessness go unchallenged?” 

After his father assumed office in May 2023, the younger Mr Tinubu first stirred controversy by flying to Kano in a presidential jet while Nigerians lamented economic hardship under his father’s watch.