Duke Questions Viability of Lagos-Calabar Highway Project

Donald Duke, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) for the 2027 election, expressed concerns regarding the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project during an interview on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme. He claimed that Nigeria lacks the financial capacity to complete the 750-kilometre highway, especially while facing pressing issues in healthcare, education, and electricity.

Duke highlighted the difficulties of constructing a highway through the swampy terrain of Bayelsa State, suggesting that hundreds of bridges would be necessary. He argued that the government should focus on rehabilitating the existing road linking Lagos and Calabar instead of pursuing a new coastal route.

Duke expressed skepticism about the project's completion, stating he did not believe it would extend beyond Epe and suggested that the funds allocated for the highway would be better spent on critical sectors like electricity and healthcare. He criticized the inadequate government funding for healthcare and education, advocating for reforms in Nigeria's revenue collection framework.