He Called A Sitting Governor A Local Champion And That Is Very Terrible And Unfortunate–Umahi

According to a report by Daily Post on Friday, October 23, 2026, David Umahi, the Minister of Works, has maintained that no land was unlawfully acquired for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, dismissing allegations that the project amounted to land grabbing.

He defended the federal government’s decision to undertake the highway project amid criticism from former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke.

Umahi made the clarification while responding to Duke’s description of the coastal highway project as land grabbing.

The minister rejected the allegation, insisting that the project was not an example of unlawful land acquisition and defending the government’s approach to infrastructure development.

Speaking during an interview with Arise Television, which was aired on Friday, Umahi also criticised Duke’s remarks about a sitting governor.

He described the former governor’s comments as inappropriate, arguing that such statements were unfortunate, particularly when directed at a serving state leader.

The minister further questioned Duke’s criticism of projects undertaken by the federal government, drawing attention to the Tinapa business and leisure resort in Cross River State.

Umahi argued that the resort’s current state raised questions about the success of projects initiated by previous administrations.

He maintained that discussions about projects considered wasteful or poorly executed should include an examination of Tinapa and whether it had achieved its intended purpose.

According to him, the resort’s performance should be considered when assessing allegations of mismanagement and the use of public funds for infrastructure development.

Umahi also raised concerns about the financial implications of the Tinapa project, questioning why public borrowing for the initiative had not attracted similar criticism.

He used the example to challenge Duke’s characterisation of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that the allegations against the road project required proper scrutiny.

During the interview, the minister expressed his displeasure over Duke’s description of a sitting governor as a local champion and linked the controversy to questions about the performance of projects funded with public resources.

He said, “He called a sitting governor a local champion and that is very terrible and unfortunate.

“When we talk about bogus projects we should be talking about Tinapa, is it functioning? It’s not functioning, but you borrowed money from the state, which one is land grabbing?

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