Why Diri’s defence of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway makes him a ‘local champion’ – Duke

Former Cross River State Governor and presidential candidate for the Peoples Redemption Party within the 2027 basic elections, Donald Duke has criticised Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri’s defence of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing the governor as a “local champion” for allegedly viewing the controversial undertaking via a regional moderately than nationwide lens.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Diri had rejected Mr Duke’s declare that the coastal freeway undertaking is unbuildable as a result of of Niger Delta’s swampy terrain, citing roads and bridges constructed in related situations in Bayelsa.

But throughout an interview on Arise TV Morning Show on Thursday, Mr Duke argued that the undertaking was financially impractical. He questioned its necessity and accused the federal authorities of pursuing what he described as a land seize underneath the guise of coastal street building.

“If the governor of Bayelsa did say so, I don’t know the fellow, but if he did say so, I think he is just being a local champion,” Mr Duke stated.

“He is seeing within the ambit of his state…I am looking at the totality of Nigeria.”

Mr Duke argued that the federal authorities ought to assess the undertaking in opposition to the nation’s monetary capability and competing improvement wants moderately than regional pursuits.

“We don’t have the kind of money to do it,” he stated.

Duke questions freeway’s feasibility

The former governor renewed his opposition to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that the undertaking’s proposed route via the Niger Delta raised questions on its affordability, necessity and eventual vacation spot.

He argued the undertaking needs to be referred to as the Lagos Coastal Highway, saying its identify implied a connection to Calabar that he doubted would materialise.

“It’s actually the Lagos Coastal Highway. Don’t call it Lagos-Calabar. And I’ve said that if I do that, it will not get there. And the minister has vindicated me. And he also talks about the terrain,” he stated.

Mr Duke acknowledged that developing a street throughout Bayelsa was technically attainable however argued that the tough terrain and monetary implications made the undertaking impractical.

“It’s not that you can’t build a road across Bayelsa, but it’s just not affordable. And it doesn’t make sense because there is a road going to Calabar, if that is it,” he stated.

He additionally alleged the undertaking might serve pursuits past transportation, pointing to land reclamation and sand-filling actions alongside the proposed route.

“To me, it’s a land grab. Let’s be honest with ourselves,” he stated.

Mr Duke additional questioned the reported choice to divert the proposed freeway onto the East-West Road, asking why the present route had not been adequately thought of from the outset.

“They have now said that they’re going to divert the road onto the East-West Highway. Weren’t they aware of the East-West Highway from the get-go?” he requested.

READ ALSO: Diri counters Donald Duke, says Lagos-Calabar coastal highway buildable

Questions funding priorities

Mr Duke additionally faulted the federal authorities’s choice to pursue the undertaking within the face of Nigeria’s monetary constraints, saying the nation was borrowing to finance sections of the freeway.

“We’re literally borrowing even to fund the stretch, the Epe stretch. We’re borrowing. We can’t do it,” he stated.

He questioned the federal government’s spending priorities, citing what he described as insufficient releases for healthcare regardless of the sector’s significance to governance.

“Look, this programme, I think even this morning, you said health, which is critical to governance. Only N36 million was released last year, from a budget of almost ₦300 billion. So what are our priorities?” he requested.

Mr Duke’s criticism centres on whether or not the coastal freeway represents a sound use of public funds at a time when the federal government faces competing calls for for funding in important providers.