The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has kicked against any attempt to divert the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway from its original alignment.
The council warned that such a move could erode President Bola Tinubu’s political goodwill in the South-South ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The National President of the IYC, Comrade Dr. Doubra C. Okotete, stated this on Thursday, October 15, 2026, while reading a statement at Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during a press conference organised by the council’s 10th National Executive Committee.
The council called on President Tinubu to direct the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, to maintain the original route of the coastal highway as approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
It insisted that Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states must not be excluded from the project.
The IYC expressed displeasure over statements attributed to Umahi suggesting that the highway could be diverted from Ondo State towards the East-West Road.
It argued that the reported proposal would undermine the original coastal alignment and deny the Niger Delta the benefits of the project.
The council declared that the Ijaw nation and other ethnic nationalities in the South-South would not accept the diversion under any circumstances, describing arguments about financial constraints and difficult terrain as unacceptable.
According to the IYC, the Niger Delta contributes significantly to Nigeria’s oil and gas wealth and should not be denied critical infrastructure on the grounds of cost or geographical challenges, particularly when other regions have benefited from major federal road projects.
The council maintained that the coastal highway must follow its original alignment through Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states, warning that any deviation would amount to short-changing the region.
To counter arguments that the Niger Delta’s swampy terrain makes major road construction difficult or too expensive, the IYC cited several infrastructure projects being undertaken by state governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The council offered to sponsor a fully funded visit for former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, to Bayelsa State to inspect projects it said demonstrated the feasibility of constructing roads and bridges across difficult terrain.
Among the projects cited was the 21-kilometre Nembe-Brass Road, which includes more than 15 bridges across Atlantic swamps and is being constructed under Governor Douye Diri’s administration.
It also highlighted the Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie Road project, including a completed 630-metre bridge across the Nun River, and the Ekeremor-Agge Road leading to the proposed Agge Seaport.
Other projects mentioned were the Polaku-Sabagria Road, road dualisation in New Yenagoa City and the Glory Drive phases one, two and three.
The IYC also offered to sponsor an assessment tour of the Trans-Kalabari Road project in Rivers State, arguing that the project further demonstrated that challenging terrain should not prevent infrastructure development.
The council cited NDDC projects, including the Port Harcourt-Okrika Road with its 1.2-kilometre Kaa-Ataba Bridge, the 27.1-kilometre Bonny Ring Road with more than 13 bridges, and the 24-kilometre Gbaregolor-Ogolaha Road project in Delta State.
It argued that these projects showed that the region’s geographical challenges could be overcome through adequate planning, funding and political commitment.
The council warned that diverting the coastal highway could have serious political implications for Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South ahead of the 2027 elections.
It said expectations of improved federal infrastructure were among the factors underpinning public support for the administration in the region, adding that the people expected the coastal highway to be delivered according to its original plan.
The IYC specifically referenced the defection of Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to the APC, arguing that the region expected tangible development benefits from the Tinubu administration.
The council cautioned that diverting the project towards the already dilapidated East-West Road could weaken public confidence in the Federal Government and undermine the President’s acceptance in the region.
“You cannot seek our votes while taking away our roads,” the council declared.
It urged Tinubu to demonstrate that he was the President of the entire country by ensuring that the coastal highway remained on its original alignment rather than being redirected in a manner that would exclude the four South-South states.
To restore public confidence, the IYC demanded the public release of the approved designs and engineering drawings for the entire 750-kilometre highway and called for immediate commencement of construction along the Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo axis, simultaneously with work on the Lagos-Ondo and Cross River-Akwa Ibom sections.
