Barely three weeks after it was inaugurated, the Lameco Flyover in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, has become the centre of a fresh political controversy after a section of the bridge developed structural defects, prompting the state government to close part of the facility while investigations continue.
The incident has triggered a war of words between the Osun State government ruling under the Accord Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 15 August governorship election, with both parties accusing each other of either sabotage or poor construction.
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The 672-metre flyover, inaugurated by Governor Ademola Adeleke on 1 July as part of the state’s N100 billion multi-flyover infrastructure master plan designed to transform transport networks in the state, developed visible cracks and a damage on one section of the carriageway following heavy rainfall.
Osun government’s reaction
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the affected section has since been cordoned off to traffic while repair works commence. Also, investigation is currently ongoing to determine the cause of the defect, the state government has said.
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Governor Adeleke, in a statement shared on X, after inspecting the damaged section alongside engineers from the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, described the incident as an act of vandalism intended to undermine his administration’s infrastructure projects.
“I inspected the vandalised section of the Lameco Flyover in Osogbo. I commend the hardworking engineers from the Ministry of Works who have swiftly mobilised to the site to ensure immediate repairs,” the governor said.
He added that he had received a briefing from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Bashiru Bello, on the circumstances surrounding the damage and directed security agencies to identify and prosecute anyone responsible.
“It is unfortunate that some saboteurs, whose sole objective is to undermine our developmental strides and destroy the legacy of this administration, would resort to attacking public infrastructure built with taxpayers’ resources,” Mr Adeleke said.
Meanwhile, in a circulated video of the inspection, Mr Bello dismissed claims of structural failure, saying preliminary findings suggested the flyover had been vandalised. He said engineers of the ministry who earlier inspected the flyover discovered two drilled holes deliberately blocked with piece of cloth to prevent it from being visible, causing water to drain into the laterite beneath the asphalt surface.
“They placed cloth on the holes, so passers-by did not notice them. The water started accumulating underneath,” Mr Bello said.
He added that cutting through the asphalt revealed trapped water on the laterite layer and maintained that the road met the required standard. He insisted the asphalt thickness measured 120–125 millimetres, above the 100-millimetre specification for the project.
During an interview, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Abiodun Bankole, said the government had commenced an investigation into the cause of the damage, assuring residents that the findings would be made public after technical assessments.
APC flags structural failures
APC rejected the vandalism claim, arguing that the defects pointed instead to poor construction quality.
A statement signed by Omowaiye Oluremi, Head, Media and Publicity Osun APC Governorship Campaign Council, said preliminary observations indicated structural defects, including a deep pothole and other distress points that raised concerns about the integrity of the project.
The council advised motorists to avoid the flyover until independent structural engineers certified it safe for use.
“These disturbing developments, coming barely a month after the commissioning, are unacceptable and constitute a direct threat to the lives of innocent road users,” the statement read.
Similarly, the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, said the development validated the opposition’s long-standing concerns over the quality of projects executed by the Adeleke administration.
“We have consistently raised concerns about the quality of projects being executed by this administration. The fact that a bridge commissioned barely weeks ago has already developed defects is disturbing,” he said.
The APC called on the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) and the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN) to independently assess the flyover and other ongoing infrastructure projects in the state.
Accord Party speaks
The Accord Party in Osun, however, backed Governor Adeleke’s position, accusing elements within the APC of deliberately sabotaging public infrastructure to discredit the administration ahead of the governorship election.
State Chairman of the party, Victor Akande, alleged that the damage formed part of a calculated effort to undermine the government’s achievements.
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“These acts are not ordinary criminal activities but appear to be part of a calculated attempt by desperate elements in the opposition APC to undermine and discredit the remarkable achievements of the current administration ahead of the forthcoming governorship election,” Mr Akande said.
He urged security agencies to investigate the incident and prosecute anyone found responsible, regardless of political affiliation.
Political row in build-up to election
The latest dispute adds to growing political tensions in the state ahead of the August governorship poll.
In recent weeks, the APC and the ruling Accord Party have been accusing each other of sponsoring political violence, attacks on party supporters, shootings and attempts to hijack Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution centres. Several politically linked violent incidents have also been reported across parts of the state, with both parties trading accusations while security agencies continue investigations.
The Lameco Flyover forms part of Governor Adeleke’s flagship road infrastructure programme, which includes flyover projects in Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Owode-Ede and Ikirun aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving transportation across the state.
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