RismadarVoice Reporters
October 15, 2026
Former Cross River State Governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has described Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri as a “local champion” following their disagreement over the feasibility of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Duke remarked during an interview on Thursday while defending his position that the proposed highway would be difficult to execute because of its estimated cost and the challenging terrain along parts of the route.
The disagreement followed Diri’s criticism of Duke’s earlier assessment that constructing the highway through Bayelsa State would be impracticable because of the state’s extensive swamps and mangrove forests.
Responding through his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri argued that Duke’s assessment failed to acknowledge infrastructure projects already undertaken in Bayelsa, including roads and bridges constructed across difficult terrain.
The governor maintained that developments in road construction had demonstrated the possibility of building infrastructure in areas previously considered difficult to access.
However, Duke dismissed the criticism, suggesting that Diri was examining the proposed highway primarily from the perspective of Bayelsa State rather than considering its wider financial implications for Nigeria.
“And the governor of Bayelsa, if he did say so, I don’t know the fellow, but if he did say so, I think he’s just being a local champion,” Duke said.
The former governor maintained that his opposition to the project was not influenced by regional considerations, stressing that his assessment concerned the country’s overall development priorities and financial capacity.
He argued that the scale of the proposed highway would require substantial funding at a time when the Federal Government was already relying on borrowing to finance major infrastructure projects.
Duke questioned whether the government could sustain the financial commitments necessary to complete the entire coastal route.
He also raised concerns about reports that portions of the proposed highway could be connected to or redirected through the existing East-West Road.
According to him, the possibility of such adjustments raised questions about the original planning and assessment of the coastal highway project.
Duke maintained that the government’s infrastructure decisions should reflect the country’s financial realities and the practical challenges associated with construction.
The disagreement highlights contrasting positions on the project, with Diri pointing to Bayelsa’s experience in constructing roads through difficult terrain, while Duke continues to question the affordability and feasibility of the proposed national highway.
