Barely minutes after President Goodluck Jonathan commissioned Abuja-Kaduna rail line on Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has released a statement on the action of the President.

In flood of messages posted on its official Twitter handle on Tuesday, the main opposition party commended President Buhari on the commissioning and flagging off of commercial operations on it.

However, the party also stated that credit must be given to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan for the conceptualisation of the project.

The party also praised the immediate past coordinating minister of the economy, Ngozi Okonjo Nwela for the work put into the structure of the project.

Below are the tweets:

 

1. Today, we congratulate @NGRPresident as he commissions the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail line & flags off commercial operations on it.

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

2. We particularly congratulate the people of Nigeria who can enjoy the benefits of this revolutionary project & service.

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

3. We must commend former President @GEJonathan for
the conceptualisation & inception of the project as a standard gauge rail line. 1/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

We sincerely hope the project fulfils the dreams he had of greater integration
between the cities of Abuja & Kaduna. 2/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

4. We also commend @NOIweala for the work put into the structure & funding of the project. It is important to note that the structure…1/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

… structure used ensured it didn’t suffer the fate of many projects before
it which were abandoned by successive administrations. 2/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

5. The 185 km Abj-Kad standard gauge rail line is one of the first standard gauge rail lines in Nigeria & was constructed by CCECC.

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

6. The project features cargo & passenger trains. 4000 people were employed during
construction & at inception, the project was…1/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

… projected to employ 5000 people for its operations. 2/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

9. The rail line has 9 stations & cost $874m. Of this figure, $500m was provided by the China Exim Bank as a concessionary loan while…1/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

… Jonathan administration paid the balance as counterpart funding. 2/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

11. This project is the first in a series of long term developmental projects conceptualized & initiated by the Jonathan admin that.. 1/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

…in February 2011 & ended in December 2014. The 9 stations were in advanced
stages of completion when the Jonathan admin handed over. 2/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016

…Others soon to be completed include new terminals at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Int’l Airport, Abuja & Akanu Ibiam Int’l Airport, Enugu. 2/2

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) July 26, 2016