Former Move River State Governor and presidential candidate for the Peoples Redemption Party within the 2027 normal elections, Donald Duke has criticised Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri’s defence of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Freeway, describing the governor as a “native champion” for allegedly viewing the debatable mission thru a regional fairly than nationwide lens.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Diri had rejected Mr Duke’s declare that the coastal freeway mission is unbuildable on account of Niger Delta’s swampy terrain, mentioning roads and bridges built in identical prerequisites in Bayelsa.
However throughout an interview on Arise TV Morning Show on Thursday, Mr Duke argued that the mission used to be financially impractical. He wondered its necessity and accused the government of pursuing what he described as a land clutch underneath the guise of coastal highway building.
“If the governor of Bayelsa did say so, I don’t know the guy, but when he did say so, I feel he’s simply being a neighborhood champion,” Mr Duke mentioned.
“He’s seeing throughout the ambit of his state…I’m taking a look on the totality of Nigeria.”
Mr Duke argued that the government must assess the mission in opposition to the rustic’s monetary capability and competing construction wishes fairly than regional pursuits.
“We don’t have the type of cash to do it,” he mentioned.
Duke questions freeway’s feasibility
The previous governor renewed his opposition to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Freeway, insisting that the mission’s proposed course throughout the Niger Delta raised questions on its affordability, necessity and eventual vacation spot.
He argued the mission must be known as the Lagos Coastal Freeway, announcing its identify implied a connection to Calabar that he doubted would materialise.
“It’s in reality the Lagos Coastal Freeway. Don’t name it Lagos-Calabar. And I’ve mentioned that if I do this, it is going to now not get there. And the minister has vindicated me. And he additionally talks concerning the terrain,” he mentioned.
Mr Duke stated that establishing a highway throughout Bayelsa used to be technically imaginable however argued that the tough terrain and fiscal implications made the mission impractical.
“It’s now not that you’ll be able to’t construct a highway throughout Bayelsa, nevertheless it’s simply now not reasonably priced. And it doesn’t make sense as a result of there’s a highway going to Calabar, if this is it,” he mentioned.
He additionally alleged the mission may serve pursuits past transportation, pointing to land reclamation and sand-filling actions alongside the proposed course.
“To me, it’s a land clutch. Let’s be fair with ourselves,” he mentioned.
Mr Duke additional wondered the reported choice to divert the proposed freeway onto the East-West Street, asking why the present course had now not been adequately thought to be from the outset.
“They’ve now mentioned that they’re going to divert the street onto the East-West Freeway. Weren’t they conscious about the East-West Freeway from the get-go?” he requested.
READ ALSO: Diri counters Donald Duke, says Lagos-Calabar coastal highway buildable
Questions investment priorities
Mr Duke additionally faulted the government’s choice to pursue the mission within the face of Nigeria’s monetary constraints, announcing the rustic used to be borrowing to finance sections of the freeway.
“We’re actually borrowing even to fund the stretch, the Epe stretch. We’re borrowing. We will be able to’t do it,” he mentioned.
He wondered the federal government’s spending priorities, mentioning what he described as insufficient releases for healthcare regardless of the field’s significance to governance.
“Glance, this programme, I feel even this morning, you mentioned well being, which is important to governance. Best N36 million used to be launched closing 12 months, from the cheap of just about ₦300 billion. So what are our priorities?” he requested.
Mr Duke’s complaint centres on whether or not the coastal freeway represents a legitimate use of public finances at a time when the federal government faces competing calls for for funding in very important products and services.
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