Former Cross River State Governor and 2027 presidential hopeful, Donald Duke, has criticised the Federal Government’s Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, describing it as a costly misplaced priority that Nigeria cannot afford under its current economic conditions.

Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Duke questioned the project’s economic viability, engineering feasibility and place among the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs.

“I know the country cannot afford it,” Duke said, questioning the logic of constructing a major highway along Nigeria’s coastal belt from Lagos to Calabar.

According to him, the terrain would make the project extremely expensive and technically challenging.

“You cannot build a road on the coast from Lagos to Calabar,” he said. “You’ll probably have to build about 100 or 200 bridges to go through those swamps.”

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the Federal Government’s major infrastructure projects and is intended to link coastal states while supporting trade, tourism, investment and economic activity.

However, Duke argued that the resources being committed to the project could deliver greater value if directed towards electricity, healthcare and education.

He said Nigeria already had road networks connecting the southern corridor to Calabar and suggested that government should prioritise repairing and upgrading existing infrastructure if improved connectivity was the main objective.

“There’s some expenditure we make that does not reflect the realities of our circumstance,” Duke said. “You’ve got to prioritise. Focus on what is required. The amount going to be spent on that, we’d better spend providing electricity, we’d better spend upgrading your healthcare system.”

Duke’s comments come amid broader debate over public spending at a time of high inflation, rising debt pressures, weak purchasing power and deteriorating social infrastructure.

He argued that Nigeria’s challenge was not simply a shortage of projects but the failure to properly prioritise them.

According to him, a country facing significant deficits in power, healthcare, education, security and productivity should be cautious about committing huge resources to large-scale infrastructure projects while basic services remain under pressure.

Duke identified electricity as a key driver of productivity, urging the government to make gas, hydro, solar and other energy sources more widely available and affordable.

He argued that improving power supply would have a more immediate impact on businesses, employment and household welfare than a coastal highway whose economic returns, in his view, remain uncertain.

The former governor also criticised the current economic environment, citing high interest rates as a major obstacle to businesses seeking to borrow, expand and create jobs.

He said Nigeria’s economy had failed to grow in line with its population, which is now estimated at more than 230 million, and warned that the country’s governance and economic policies were not adequately addressing demographic pressures.

Reflecting on his tenure as Cross River State governor from 1999 to 2007, Duke said his administration focused on initiatives designed to stimulate economic activity and position Calabar as a tourism and cultural destination.

His administration was associated with initiatives including the Calabar Carnival and the development and promotion of Obudu Mountain Ranch, alongside investments in infrastructure and tourism.

Duke said the projects were based on what he considered the state’s comparative advantages and the need to generate economic activity through tourism, hospitality and culture.

He argued that Nigeria now needed similar clarity at the national level, with government spending aligned with the country’s economic realities.

Duke is returning to frontline politics as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said his return to politics was motivated by what he described as the urgency of Nigeria’s economic, security and governance challenges, which he attributed to poor leadership and a stagnant economy.

On security, Duke advocated a more localised approach, arguing that security, like healthcare and education, is more effective when it is delivered closer to the people.

He expressed support for state police but said greater emphasis should be placed on intelligence gathering rather than heavy enforcement.

Duke also called for stronger accountability within the police and other security institutions, including holding local commanders responsible for serious breaches within their jurisdictions.

On corruption, he argued that stronger consequences were necessary, saying misconduct persists when institutions fail to adequately punish wrongdoing.

He also called for judicial reforms, particularly faster resolution of commercial disputes, which he said would be necessary to attract investment and restore confidence in Nigeria’s legal system.

Duke further proposed reducing the cost of governance by restructuring the National Assembly into a unicameral legislature comprising only the Senate.

On the 2027 election, he acknowledged the fragmentation within the opposition and attributed some of its difficulties to competing political interests.

He said he hoped to play a role in efforts to build a more cohesive opposition capable of challenging the ruling party.

Addressing legal challenges surrounding his emergence as the PRP presidential candidate, Duke dismissed the suits as distractions and urged Nigerians to focus on the records and policies of those seeking political office.

His criticism of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, however, emerged as one of the strongest points of his interview.

For Duke, the project represents what he sees as Nigeria’s wider problem of spending priorities, with government pursuing major infrastructure while citizens continue to grapple with poor electricity supply, pressure on healthcare and education, insecurity and a difficult business environment.

His comments are likely to add to the ongoing debate over whether the coastal highway represents a strategic long-term investment or an expensive project that should take a lower priority amid Nigeria’s current economic challenges.

With the 2027 election cycle gathering momentum, the project could increasingly become part of the political debate over how Nigeria should balance long-term infrastructure development with immediate investment in essential public services.

The Media Team of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the Sultan urged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 presidential election.

In a statement signed by Prince Bashir Adefaka on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the Media Team described the reports as false, insisting that the Sultan, as a father figure to all Nigerians, could not publicly or privately endorse any presidential candidate.

The team urged Nigerians to disregard what it described as a “malicious and unpatriotic” attempt to drag the revered traditional ruler into partisan politics for selfish interests.

According to the statement, the institutions of monarchy and religion led by the Sultan are founded on neutrality, fatherly guidance and spiritual leadership, making it inappropriate for him to align with any political candidate or party.

“The Sultan’s doors cannot be shut against anyone who comes to him, regardless of political affiliation or persuasion. His Eminence has consistently demonstrated that he is the father of all and will continue to relate with all Nigerians without discrimination,” the statement said.

The Media Team also urged the public to reject any attempt to portray the Sultan as supporting the political ambition or campaign of any individual ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It maintained that the Sultan remains committed to promoting peace, national unity, stability and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic, religious or political differences.

The statement further appealed to journalists and social media users to verify information before publishing or circulating it, warning against reports capable of misleading the public or dragging respected traditional and religious institutions into partisan political disputes.

Former Anambra State Governor and ex-Senator representing Enugu East, Jim Nwobodo, has dismissed reports of tension in Nkanu land over a disputed estate in Enugu, describing the reports as misleading and part of an alleged campaign to tarnish his reputation.

Nwobodo, who served as governor of the old Anambra State and represented Enugu East in the Senate between 1999 and 2003, was reacting to a report published by ThisDay on Sunday, August 2, 2026, which alleged that tension had enveloped Nkanu land following a dispute involving prominent indigenes over the demolition of buildings belonging to Lagos-based businessman and investor, Dr Basil Ogbuanu, at an estate in Independence Layout, Enugu.

The former governor, who turned 86 in May, questioned the basis for the report, insisting that there was no tension in Nkanu over the matter.

“Anybody talking of tension or uneasy calm in Nkanu is talking nonsense. That person is a big liar. Nkanu is not somewhere in a cave or some undiscovered place on the earth. It is an existing and prominent community in Enugu State. Where is the tension that nobody else has heard of except the one man running from pillar to post in a futile attempt to save himself from the criminal case for which he is now being prosecuted by the police?” he said.

Nwobodo further claimed that no person from Nkanu had approached him concerning Ogbuanu or intervened in the dispute.

“There is absolutely no tension anywhere in Nkanu land. Nobody from Nkanu has ever intervened or spoken to me about Ogbuanu. I challenge Ogbuanu to mention the name of anybody from Nkanu or elsewhere who has spoken to me about him,” he added.

The former governor said the dispute arose after Ogbuanu allegedly breached the terms under which he purchased a plot in the estate at Independence Layout.

According to Nwobodo, the estate was conceived as a low-density residential development with specific architectural standards and a quiet ambience, but Ogbuanu allegedly began developing structures that were inconsistent with the estate’s original plan.

He explained that buyers had initially been informed that physical development could not commence until the necessary documentation, approvals and planning processes were completed.

“This was supposed to be a small estate with a specific plan and model of prototype buildings. It was supposed to be a quiet ambience with few high-class residents. From the outset, I told him that the estate was not ready for physical structures yet and that nobody should start building until everything was ready,” Nwobodo said.

He alleged that Ogbuanu subsequently began constructing student hostels within the estate, despite the purported agreement on the nature of the development.

Nwobodo also explained that the estate’s land title required recertification before individual plots could receive the appropriate documentation.

He said the original title obtained in the 1970s was a building lease and that the introduction of the Land Use Act in 1978 changed the system for issuing Certificates of Occupancy.

According to him, because the estate was covered by a global Certificate of Occupancy, individual plots would require subleases after the main title had been properly processed.

He added that the estate’s architectural and layout plans also had to be approved by the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Lands and the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), before construction could begin.

Nwobodo said buyers were informed of the process and were offered the option of waiting for the documentation to be completed or receiving refunds of their purchase prices.

He alleged that Ogbuanu later presented a Power of Attorney and Deed prepared in the name of a former company that, according to him, no longer held title to the property.

Nwobodo said Ogbuanu was advised either to wait for the recertification process or collect his money.

He further alleged that Ogbuanu told him and his wife that he had borrowed money from a Nigerian bank and needed documentation to show how the funds had been utilised.

According to Nwobodo, Ogbuanu later contacted him and his wife, pleading for assistance because the bank was demanding evidence relating to the loan.

Nwobodo said he eventually agreed to sign the documents presented by Ogbuanu, while warning him to return them for replacement with authentic and legally appropriate title documents.

However, he alleged that Ogbuanu subsequently began constructing what he described as unauthorised structures, including hostels and a church, without obtaining the required approvals.

“As soon as Basil Ogbuanu got those documents, he disappeared and his next move was to start building illegal structures in the form of hostels and a church—building mass houses in the form of commercial properties in a high-brow, low-density location,” Nwobodo alleged.

He said other purchasers in the estate later complained that Ogbuanu’s activities were changing the character of the development and allegedly threatened to abandon their plots.

Nwobodo said the matter was subsequently reported to the relevant authorities, adding that officials of the Capital Territory Development Authority independently visited the estate and marked the structures for removal.

He alleged that Ogbuanu ignored repeated warnings and continued with the construction.

“That is the simple story,” the former governor said.

Nwobodo, however, maintained that he remained willing to refund Ogbuanu the full amount he paid for the property.

“Did Ogbuanu tell the world that I have been telling him from the beginning to come and take back his money, the full payment, and that he has been running away? How come, out of all the people that bought land in the estate, he is the only one complaining?” he asked.

He challenged Ogbuanu to come forward and collect his money, saying he was even prepared to make the refund publicly.

“I’m prepared to give him back his money, even if it is in public. Let him come and collect his money,” Nwobodo said.

The former governor said he regretted entering into a relationship with Ogbuanu despite being advised against it, but insisted that what he described as blackmail or media campaigns would not compel him to allow development that violated the estate’s regulations and would not affect the ongoing criminal case against Ogbuanu.

Nwobodo’s comments come amid the continuing dispute over the estate and allegations surrounding the development and demolition of structures on the property.

The Enugu State Council of Presidents-General of Town Unions has endorsed the member representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Chimaobi Atu, for a second term.

The endorsement was announced on Tuesday when leaders of the council paid a courtesy visit to Atu at his residence in Ugwuaji in Enugu.

The Chairman of the Council, Chief Arinze Ogbodo, who led the delegation, said that the endorsement followed the Federal lawmaker impressive performance and people-oriented representation.

Ogbodo said the unanimous decision was a fall out of an assessment of Atu’s stewardship over the past three years, adding that he had delivered tangible benefits to communities across the constituency.

According to him, the lawmaker has distinguished himself through impactful constituency projects, infrastructure development, youth empowerment initiatives and educational interventions.

“In just one term, your representation has been visible, impactful and people-centred.

“From infrastructure development and youth empowerment to educational interventions and other constituency projects, the people have witnessed purposeful leadership.

“This endorsement reflects our confidence in your ability to deliver even more in another term,” Ogbodo said.

Responding, Hon. Atu thanked the council for what he described as a strong vote of confidence, saying the endorsement would inspire him to redouble his efforts in serving the people of the constituency.

He reaffirmed his commitment to effective representation and sustained development, stressing that he had more to accomplish for his constituents.

“I am deeply humbled by this endorsement. It is a call to greater service, and I assure you that the job is not yet finished.

“I remain committed to working harder to justify the trust and confidence our people have placed in me,” Atu said.

The Ebonyi State Government has intensified its enforcement against unsafe and dilapidated buildings across Abakaliki, the state capital, as part of efforts to prevent building collapses and protect lives and property.

The enforcement exercise was led by the Commissioner for Capital City Development and Urban Planning, Richard Ugo Idike, alongside the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Martina Obya; Head of Town Planning, Mrs Esther Nwite; and members of the state task force.

The inspection followed an earlier exercise conducted on July 7, during which owners and occupants of distressed buildings were served notices to vacate or demolish structures considered unsafe.

During the latest operation, officials inspected a one-storey building in Abakaliki identified as posing a significant safety risk.

Idike said the initial 21-day eviction notice issued to the occupants had expired, adding that, following an agreement with the property owner, demolition of the building would commence within the week.

The task force also served a fresh 21-day eviction and removal notice on the owner of a deteriorating building on Liberty Street after determining that the structure was in critical condition.

Officials expressed concern that despite visible structural defects in some of the affected buildings, several families, including children, were still living in the premises.

Idike condemned the development and reiterated the state government’s commitment to preventing avoidable disasters arising from structural neglect.

He urged property owners to conduct regular structural integrity assessments on their buildings and strictly comply with the state’s town planning regulations.