By Nkechi Eze
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has defended the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, dismissing claims that Bayelsa’s swampy terrain makes the construction of the road impracticable and criticising former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, over his comments on the project.
Diri maintained that Bayelsa’s difficult terrain was not an obstacle to infrastructure development, insisting that his administration was already constructing roads and bridges across the state despite its environmental challenges.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the governor spoke during the 200th session of the Bayelsa State Executive Council at Government House, Yenagoa, where he described Duke’s position on the coastal highway as disappointing, particularly because both men are from the South-South region.
The governor was reacting to a video in which Duke reportedly questioned the feasibility of the coastal highway, citing Bayelsa’s swampy environment and suggesting that between 100 and 200 bridges might be required for the road to pass through the state.
Diri said he was particularly concerned that a former governor from the Niger Delta would use Bayelsa as an example of an area where major road infrastructure could not be developed.
“With our limited resources as a state government, we are building bridges and roads in the same swamp that he says cannot be developed. We are inviting him to come to Bayelsa since he has used our state as an example,” he said.
The governor argued that the state’s geographical challenges should not be used to deny its people the benefits of infrastructure development, adding that Bayelsa’s natural resources had contributed significantly to the Nigerian economy.
“Enough of this narrative that the Bayelsa environment cannot be developed. Oil and gas resources can be taken away from our land, but the land itself cannot be developed? That is a fat lie from the pit of hell, and we reject it,” Diri said.
He also faulted Duke for reportedly referring to him as “that fellow”, insisting that the description was inappropriate for an elected governor.
“I am an elected, sitting governor of Bayelsa State, and I am very surprised that this is coming from a son of the Niger Delta and, more importantly, a former governor who should respect the office of a governor at all times,” he said.
Diri further criticised Duke’s record in office, accusing the former governor of failing to adequately defend regional interests during the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. He also faulted the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort project, arguing that the debts associated with it placed a burden on Cross River State and successive administrations.
The Bayelsa governor, however, stressed that his response was not driven by a desire to engage in personal attacks but by his determination to defend the state and its people.
“I am not one of those who insult people. I do not insult leaders or elders. But what you have done is not just about me. It is about my environment and my people. I will always stand tall to defend this environment and the people of Bayelsa State,” he said.
Beyond the exchange with Duke, Diri reiterated his support for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing it as a major infrastructure project with significant implications for coastal communities, particularly the Niger Delta and the Ijaw nation.
He said the project had featured among the longstanding demands of the Ijaw National Congress, dating back to the military era, and commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for pursuing its construction.
“The coastal road is a very important, relevant and impactful project for every state along the coastline, particularly for us in the South-South and Bayelsa State,” he said.
Diri also disclosed that he disagreed with the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, over the reported proposal to realign the coastal highway with the East-West Road.
According to him, the two roads are separate projects, and the reconstruction of the East-West Road should not replace or derail the coastal highway.
“I agree with you that the East-West Road should be reconstructed. It is called the East-West Road, but its reconstruction should not take the place of the coastal road,” he said.
The governor added that the South-South governors supported the continuation of the coastal highway, noting that the project could improve connectivity, stimulate economic activity and address longstanding infrastructure gaps across the coastal states.
He urged the Federal Government to sustain the project, arguing that communities in the Niger Delta deserved road infrastructure comparable to that available in other parts of the country.
