NIDDEMOG Condemns Duke’s ‘Local Champion’ Remark Against Diri, Backs Coastal Road

By Chukwunonso Eric, Warri.

The Niger Delta Development Monitoring Group (NIDDEMOG) has condemned former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke’s description of Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri as a “local champion,” describing the remark as unfair and unacceptable.

In a statement issued on Friday, October 16, 2026, the group’s Team Lead, Chief Nengi James-Eriworio, OON, called on Duke to retract the comment and apologise to Governor Diri. He argued that derogatory remarks and personal attacks among leaders of the Niger Delta would do little to address the region’s longstanding developmental challenges.

Speaking against the backdrop of the controversy surrounding the proposed Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Nengi maintained that the coastal road should not be dismissed on political grounds, stressing that the Niger Delta urgently needs major investments in roads and bridges because of its difficult terrain and its significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

According to him, the idea of developing a coastal road in the Niger Delta is not new, noting that a coastal ring road had featured in previous regional development plans and demands by traditional rulers. He recalled that representatives of the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had, around 1998 or 1999, consulted traditional rulers in Bayelsa on development priorities, with the monarchs reportedly requesting a coastal ring road.

NIDDEMOG said the Niger Delta’s network of rivers, creeks, mangrove forests and wetlands has made transportation and access to markets and public services particularly difficult for many coastal communities. The group therefore argued that an effective network of roads and bridges could significantly improve connectivity and stimulate economic development.

Nengi cited existing and ongoing road infrastructure around Agge and Brass in Bayelsa State, as well as road and bridge connections in the Bonny and Opobo axis of Rivers State, as evidence that infrastructure can be developed even in challenging coastal environments.

While supporting the proposed coastal highway, the NIDDEMOG leader urged the Federal Government not to neglect existing infrastructure, particularly the East-West Road and other deteriorating roads across the Niger Delta. He stressed that both new and existing infrastructure projects should receive adequate attention.

He further urged Niger Delta leaders to prioritise the interests of the people over political differences, arguing that the potential benefits of any project capable of connecting coastal communities should be carefully considered irrespective of political considerations surrounding it.

Nengi also defended Governor Diri’s understanding of the region’s developmental challenges, describing him as a leader familiar with the realities confronting riverine and coastal communities. He called for constructive engagement among Niger Delta leaders on issues including infrastructure deficits, coastal erosion, ocean encroachment and economic development.

The group appealed to Duke to withdraw his “local champion” remark and apologise to Governor Diri, while urging both leaders and other stakeholders to focus on finding practical solutions to the challenges facing the Niger Delta.

NIDDEMOG further called for equitable implementation of the proposed coastal road, stressing that communities and states in the oil-producing region should derive meaningful benefits from infrastructure investments commensurate with their contributions to the national economy.