RismadarVoice Reporters, September 2, 2026
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, says his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election is driven by his desire to address Nigeria’s leadership challenges and improve the living conditions of citizens.
Duke, a former governor of Cross River State, made the declaration while speaking with journalists in Abuja.
He expressed concern that Nigeria had struggled with effective leadership since the return to democratic rule in 1979, arguing that successive administrations had failed to provide the kind of clear vision required to transform the country.
According to him, although previous governments came into office with political programmes, the country had yet to experience the type of leadership vision capable of delivering sustained development and economic growth.
Duke said: “There has been frustration in the political system since the return to democracy. In reality, we could have done better than what we have if we had the right leadership.
“Since the return to democratic rule, there have been successive governments, but there has not been one with leadership vision.
“That is why I have put myself forward, to provide the leadership needed to change the political situation and promote development and growth.
“We in the political system do not need mudslinging but to tell Nigerians what we can do for the country.”
The PRP candidate maintained that a government without a clearly defined vision would struggle to deliver meaningful results, adding that Nigerians deserved to know what political leaders intended to accomplish before seeking their votes.
On the 2027 election, Duke said the opposition could defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) if political parties were willing to set aside individual ambitions and unite behind a single candidate.
He warned that failure to form a common front could give the President Bola Tinubu-led administration an advantage at the polls.
Duke argued that the APC could still be defeated despite its strong political presence across the country if opposition parties worked together with a clearly defined objective.
On economic policies, the former governor backed the idea of subsidising petroleum products, arguing that government should not use the country’s resources in ways that further burden citizens.
He also expressed support for the establishment of state police, saying the measure had become necessary amid growing insecurity and crimes linked to poverty.
Duke described the government’s student loan initiative as a positive step but said it would have limited impact if beneficiaries were not provided with sufficient employment opportunities to enable them to repay the loans.
He further criticised the gap between government revenue and expenditure, calling for stronger coordination between monetary and fiscal policies to stimulate wealth creation and reduce poverty.
