What we know: Donald Duke Tags Gov Diri 'Local Champion' in Coastal Road Debate

Donald Duke, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential hopeful, has publicly labeled Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri a "local champion." This remark comes after Governor Diri challenged Duke's earlier statements regarding the proposed Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

The former Cross River State Governor, Duke, made his comments while appearing on Arise Television’s "The Morning Show" on Thursday. He reiterated his conviction that the coastal road initiative is impractical, citing both its exorbitant cost and the challenging geographical landscape it is intended to cross.

Governor Diri had previously voiced his displeasure with Duke’s assertion that building the highway through Bayelsa State would be impossible due to its notoriously swampy terrain. In a statement released via his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the Bayelsa governor contended that Duke was misinformed about recent infrastructural advancements in Bayelsa, highlighting his administration's success in constructing roads and bridges across challenging swampy and mangrove areas.

"He is clearly not updated on the current progress in road construction and infrastructure development within our state," Governor Diri was quoted as saying.

In response, the PRP candidate dismissed Governor Diri’s justification for the project, suggesting that the governor was assessing the issue solely from a state-centric viewpoint, failing to grasp its broader national ramifications for Nigeria. "If the Bayelsa Governor indeed made such a statement – I am not familiar with the individual – then I believe he is merely acting as a local champion," Duke stated.

Duke further elaborated that his geographical roots do not impede his ability to evaluate the project from a comprehensive national standpoint. He emphasized, "I hail from the South-South, but I am first and foremost a Nigerian. While the South-South is my region of origin, my focus is on Nigeria as a whole."

Duke reiterated his position that Nigeria currently lacks the financial muscle to embark on such a massive undertaking, pointing out that the government is already relying on loans to finance existing infrastructure projects. "It is simply not viable. We do not possess the necessary funds for this project. We are literally borrowing money even for the Epe stretch. We are borrowing. We cannot afford to do it," he asserted.

Furthermore, Duke raised concerns about the decision to re-route a segment of the highway to merge with the East-West Road. He questioned whether the existing East-West Highway was not factored into the initial planning stages of the project. "Now, they are announcing a diversion of the road onto the East-West Highway. Was the East-West Highway not known to them from the very beginning?" he queried.