The National Youth Wing of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has warned that the proposed diversion of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway could trigger discontent in the Niger Delta and carry political consequences for the Federal Government ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group made its position known at a press conference in Benin City on Tuesday, with its National Youth Leader, DonBen Donyegha, describing the proposed realignment as a departure from the project’s original purpose.
Donyegha argued that the coastal highway was conceived to connect communities along Nigeria’s coastline, including oil-producing areas that have contributed significantly to the country’s economy but continue to face environmental challenges and underdevelopment.
He said routing sections of the project through the existing East-West Road would leave some coastal communities without the benefits they expected from the highway.
According to him, improving the East-West Road could be beneficial, but it should not replace the coastal route.
“It cannot be used as a substitute that effectively bypasses the coastal communities this signature project was meant to open up,” he said.
The PANDEF youth leader urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and restore the original coastal alignment. He also called for transparent consultations with host communities, state governments and other regional stakeholders before major changes are implemented.
The group further demanded assurances that communities originally expected to benefit from the project would not be excluded by the proposed changes.
Donyegha warned that frustration over the decision could affect peace and security in the region, with possible political implications for the administration in 2027. He did not provide evidence to establish how the controversy might affect voting outcomes.
The Federal Government’s position, as reported by Daily Post, is that the proposed changes are informed by difficult terrain, deep pits and cost considerations along sections of the route, including parts of Ogun and Ondo states.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, reportedly said Tinubu directed that the coastal highway be routed through the existing East-West Road rather than creating new alignments.
PANDEF’s youth wing rejected that approach, insisting that the coastal highway and the upgrading of the East-West Road should be treated as separate projects.
The dispute centres on how the highway should be aligned, which communities it will serve and how the government will balance construction costs with the project’s original development objectives.
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