Osinbajo erred on funding for 2nd Niger Bridge – Presidency

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo erred when he put fund already released for the construction of the Second Niger Bridge at $2 billion.
The Presidency admitted this in a statement to correct the erroneous impression that the bridge had been funded to the tune of $2 billion.
The statement, issued by Laolu Akande, clarified the error in the address Osinbajo delivered on the release of fund for the construction of the Second Niger Bridge.
According to Akande, Osinbajo had during the All Progressives Congress governorship campaign in Onitsha, Anambra State on October 20 reiterated the Buhari administration’s commitment to keeping its promises to the Nigerian people.
He said that one of those promises was the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, adding that the correct amount released was in the official news release he sent on the Vice President’s remarks during the campaign rally same day.
Akande said: “I did quote the VP as saying that ‘the Sovereign Wealth Fund paid N2 billion for that same project (Sum paid to the contractor: Julius Berger for early works). We will definitely see our Second Niger Bridge, we will not make promises we cannot keep.’”
Akande, however, observed that a short video clip from the event captured on the news segment of a television channel quoted Osinbajo as mentioning $2 billion and not N2 billion, which was what he had actually meant to say.
He added: “Mentioning the dollar currency was inadvertent.
“As it happened, the excerpt from the video, which was shared online, was what was quoted in the headlines of some media houses, and in comments on social media.
“The figures were misplaced. Kindly set the records straight, from the speech I had sent.
“Please note, again, the sum provided for this is actually two billion naira (N2 billion).”