Human rights lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong, has criticised the growing trend of naming public infrastructure after President Bola Tinubu, warning that Nigeria could one day wake up to find its name changed to the “Federal Republic of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Effiong made the remarks during an interview on ARISE News while reacting to the recent decision by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to rename the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway after President Tinubu.
He also blamed ministers, which include the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for promoting what he described as the personalisation of governance through the naming of public assets after the President.
Speaking on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Effiong questioned both the project and the decision to rename it.
He said, “which I have never understood the logic behind it; at a time the country is grappling with economic crisis, at a time that we are borrowing to refund our indebtedness, at a time that the government is almost running on a deficit.
“Why are we decipating trillions without transparency, don’t forget the company that is handling this road projects is one whose antecedents has been called to question. So when when you look at it in the light of the renaming, the way we are going, given how dubious the national assembly changed our national anthem within 24 hours, we may wake up tomorrow and it becomes Federal Republic of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Effiong described the trend of renaming public infrastructure after the President as excessive praise by government officials.
“It’s unbridled sycophancy. Is there a competition between appointees of the President and federal institutions over who is going to praise the President the most?” he asked.
The lawyer explained that under Nigerian law, there is a distinction between public institutions whose names are protected by legislation and those that can be renamed by the executive.
“There are public infrastructures or institutions whose names are statutory. Where Parliament has assigned a name through legislation, you cannot rename such institutions through executive fiat. But where there is no statutory backing, the executive has the discretion to ascribe a name.”
Although he acknowledged that the executive has such powers in some cases, he argued that taxpayer-funded projects should not be renamed after a serving President.
“These projects are funded with taxpayers’ money. They go through the appropriation process and belong to the Nigerian people. It is only commonsensical that their names should reflect the public interest rather than the personality of a serving President.”
Effiong said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was originally named after the two cities it connects and questioned the justification for changing its name.
“That road was originally named the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road because it connects Lagos and Calabar. If you now rename it after the President, there has to be a convincing public justification.”
He further alleged that the practice had spread beyond road projects to other government institutions.
“If you are a President who believes you have truly served the Nigerian people, you should allow history to judge you rather than seeking to entrench your name on public infrastructure.”
On whether such decisions could be challenged in court, Effiong said the answer depended on whether the original name was protected by law.
“If the name is contained in an Act of Parliament or specifically identified in an appropriation law, it cannot simply be changed through executive action. But where there is no statutory backing, the issue becomes one of public interest, logic and priorities rather than legality.”
He maintained that ministers carrying out the renaming were acting under the authority of the President, making Tinubu ultimately responsible for the decisions.
“The Minister of Works is exercising powers delegated by the President. So, in reality, it is the President renaming these public infrastructures after himself.”
Effiong also addressed concerns over land acquired for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, stressing that affected property owners must be compensated.
“The Constitution and the Land Use Act are clear. Government can only acquire land for public purposes, and it must pay adequate compensation to those with legitimate interests in the affected properties.”
He also questioned the timing of the multi-trillion-naira coastal highway project amid Nigeria’s economic difficulties.
“At a time when the country is struggling with economic hardship, rising debt and fiscal pressures, the government should be prioritising transparency and accountability in major infrastructure projects rather than symbolic gestures.”
According to him, the increasing practice of naming public infrastructure after the President risks weakening democratic governance.
“What we are seeing is the personalisation of governance. Public institutions should serve the people, not become monuments to a serving political leader.”
Effiong’s comments come days after Works Minister Dave Umahi announced that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway had been renamed the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway. Umahi said the decision was taken by the Ministry of Works to honour Tinubu for conceiving the project more than two decades ago while serving as Governor of Lagos State.
The minister had said, “That (coastal) highway is named President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway. By the powers conferred on me as Minister of Works, in consultation with my Permanent Secretary, the Minister of State, directors and staff of the ministry, we decided to name it after him because of his dream for it.”
Umahi added, “He had that dream about 27 years back as governor of Lagos State. It is one thing to dream and another thing to have the grace of God to actualise that dream.”
His comments also follows an earlier decision by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to rename the Abuja International Conference Centre as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre. Wike also renamed other halls within the complex after Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.