Abuja — EARELY 24 hours after he was sacked as Works Minister, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, yesterday shocked Nigerians, when he said that the country stands to lose N300 billion unless President Olusegun Obasanjo is encouraged to stay in office beyond 2007.

This came, as South East caucus in the House of Representatives, disowned the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof Joe Irukwu, for allegedly misrepresenting Ndigbo at the zonal hearing on constitution review, where he (Irukwu) campaigned for the continued stay of President Obasanjo in office.

But outgoing Minister of Works, Senator Ogunlewe, insisted that it was in the interest of the country for the president to go for a third term in office.

Senator Ogunlewe stated that except the president is encouraged to continue beyond 2007 various on-going federal road projects across the country's highways totalling 72 and worth over N300 billion will be made to suffer undue neglect, as a new administration would not prioritise such projects that have so much economic impact on Nigerians.

He spoke yesterday at the handing-over of the affairs of the Ministry to the Minister of State for Works Alhaji Yahaya Abdulkarim, at a ceremony which was attended by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Baba Ahmed, heads of Parastatals and other senior officials of the ministry.

Senator Ogunlewe was appointed to oversee the Federal Ministry of Works, as a Minister in June 2004, by President Obasanjo after losing the gubernatorial elections in Lagos State.

following his decamping from his former political party the Alliance for Democracy (AD) to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but was relieved of his appointment on Wednesday, for reasons not stated.

He disclosed that Mr. President has passion for the country's roads, thus he has allocated so much funds to the ministry for the construction, rehabilitation and repairs of over 160 federal roads; adding that currently 52 of these roads are being designed, 72 worth N300 billion are under construction while the rest have been completed and commissioned.

He argued that the new roads projects can only be sustained and completed if the President considers the widespread pressure on him to run for third term in office, saying that he refused to speak on the issue in the past because he was still serving as minister but now that he is no longer in the cabinet, he has resolved to join the third term pressure on the President.

"Am saying this because am apprehensive that the president's efforts in the area of roads construction alone in the past few years will be a waste if he is not allowed to continue in office beyond 2007. I am therefore appealing to Mr. President to as a matter of national interest consider the plea by Nigerians of good faith to continue in office beyond 2007", he canvassed.

Asked if offered to serve as the 2007 Campaign Co-ordinator for the president, would he accept the offer, the highly outspoken former minister was swift to say that "anytime am called upon I will not hesitate to take the offer, because it is in the interest of Nigerians"

Earlier, Minister of State for Works, Alhaji Abdulkarim, commended the out going senior Minister for the commitment and dedication he had shown in ensuring that all Federal roads are motorable, in line with the President's passion for good roads.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Ahmed, described the out-going Minister as one of the finest he has ever worked with, saying that under him the ministry got more money than any other minister in the history of the ministry; and that the entire work-force of the ministry will really miss the fatherly role of the minister.

Meanwhile, South East caucus in the House of Representatives has accused President-General of Ohanaeze, of misrepresenting Ndigbo at the zonal public hearing on constitution review at Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Prof. Irukwu had at the public hearing canvassed extension of tenure for President Obasanjo, a position, he said, was the popular stand of Ndigbo.

However, South East federal lawmakers in a statement jointly signed by five members of the House, said Prof. Irukwu's presentation was not only injurious to the Igbo presidency project but also "sacrilegious, contemptuous and an insult to the Igbo nation."

The statement was signed by Hon Francis Adadiegwu, Hon. Nnanna Uzor Kalu, CID Maduabum, Uche Maduako and Uche Onyeagwha.

The lawmakers who described Irukwu's position as "immoral, fraudulent and a betrayal of trust", stated that Ohanaeze Ndigbo's opposition to third term was clear at the confab and also articulated in a memorandum to the National Assembly joint committee on constitution review.

They challenged Prof. Irukwu to dare repeat his pro-third term statement at market squares, streets and towns of Igboland.