Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has dismissed former Cross River State Governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate Donald Duke as a “jester and a pretender,” alleging that Duke’s 2027 presidential ambition is merely an attempt at political rehabilitation.
Key Highlights
- Governor Douye Diri accuses Donald Duke of seeking political rehabilitation through his 2027 presidential ambition.
- The Bayelsa governor describes Duke as a “jester and a pretender.”
- The disagreement follows Duke’s criticism of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
- Diri defends the highway and says road and bridge construction is possible in Bayelsa’s swampy terrain.
- The governor challenges Duke over his record as Cross River governor, including the Bakassi Peninsula issue.
- Duke has presented his return to the presidential race as an effort to unite the opposition and provide an alternative to the ruling party.
Diri Attacks Duke Over 2027 Presidential Ambition
Diri made the remarks while responding to Duke’s comments on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. Duke had questioned the project’s feasibility and cost, particularly the section passing through Bayelsa’s swampy and mangrove terrain, arguing that it would require hundreds of bridges.
During an appearance on ARISE News, Duke reportedly described Diri as a “local champion” for defending the project.
In a video shared by the Bayelsa Government New Media and during the 200th session of the State Executive Council in Yenagoa, Diri rejected the description and criticised Duke’s political standing.
“There is no councillor from PRP in your own ward, yet you pretend to be a presidential candidate so that at the end of the day, you will be rehabilitated,” Diri said.
He added that Duke could continue to present himself as a national and international figure “without a nucleus, without a base.”
Bayelsa Governor Questions Duke’s Political Record
Diri also advised the former governor to focus on addressing what he described as “the huge debts hanging over the heads of generations yet unborn,” which he alleged Duke left for successive administrations in Cross River State.
The Bayelsa governor further referenced the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula during Duke’s tenure, claiming that the former governor failed to adequately address the matter.
Diri said he did not usually engage in public exchanges of insults but felt compelled to respond because Duke’s comments concerned Bayelsa State, its environment and its people.
Reacting to Duke’s reported remark that he did not know him, Diri said: “I am not ‘that fellow’. I am an elected, sitting governor of Bayelsa State.”
He also embraced the “local champion” description, saying he was elected to defend the interests of his people and to “see possibilities where there seem to be impossibilities.”
Read also:
- Gov. Diri Faults Donald Duke Criticism Of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project
- Ben Murray-Bruce Defends Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Rebukes Donald Duke
- PRP Chairman Baba-Ahmed Accuses Tinubu of Buying Power as APC Reshuffles 2027 Campaign Council
Diri Defends Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project
The disagreement centres on the feasibility of constructing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway through the difficult terrain of Bayelsa and other coastal communities.
Diri maintained that Bayelsa was already constructing roads and bridges in similarly swampy areas, challenging Duke to visit the state and see the ongoing projects.
The governor’s defence reflects the position that difficult geographical conditions should not automatically rule out major infrastructure development, particularly where such projects could improve transportation and economic activity.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is a flagship Federal Government infrastructure project that has attracted support from several South-South political leaders because of its potential benefits to coastal communities.
Diri, who also chairs the South-South Governors’ Forum, has separately opposed any proposal to realign the coastal highway with the East-West Road, insisting that both should remain distinct projects.
Donald Duke’s 2027 Presidential Bid
Duke, who governed Cross River State from 1999 to 2007, is the PRP’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
He has described his return to the presidential race as an effort to provide a credible alternative to the ruling party and help unite opposition forces rather than divide their votes.
Duke has also advocated constitutional reforms aimed at ensuring that a president is elected with a majority mandate.
As of Thursday, Duke had not publicly responded to Diri’s latest comments.
The exchange adds to the political tensions surrounding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and comes as political actors position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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