Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, has said the Second Niger Bridge was named after the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and not his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan.
Ahmad had shared a video of the 1.6km bridge on social media, describing it as a major connection point between two economically vital regions in Nigeria.
He tweeted, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Muhammadu Buhari Bridge (MBB), a 1.6KM Bridge that will be a major connection point between two economically vital regions in Nigeria.”
However, one Twitter user, @Arizona_CF, objected, saying, “The name is 2nd Niger bridge; any other name doesn’t stand a chance.”
@Greenaetion said, “It is not Muhammadu Buhari Bridge and it can never be. It wasn’t Buhari who initiated the project nor did he use his salary to construct the Bridge. That’s 2nd Niger Bridge or Southern Link Bridge.”
In response, Ahmad tweeted, “So, can we call it Goodluck Jonathan Bridge for sketching the bridge? The bridge is to be called ‘Muhammadu Buhari Bridge’, read the name again and let it sink in your head.”
The Second Niger Bridge is being constructed to ease the burden on the Niger Bridge which links Onitsha and Asaba.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the bridge was performed in 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
