Former Cross River State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “formidable politician,” but criticised his performance in governance.
Duke made the remarks on Monday when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the 2027 presidential election and the prospects of the opposition.
“Give it to him, he is a formidable politician, my issue with him is governance, not politics. He is weak on governance,” Duke said.
The PRP presidential candidate added that, based on what he had observed during Tinubu’s first three years in office, the President had performed poorly in governance.
“From what we have seen over the last three years, he is very weak on governance,” he added.
Duke argued that Tinubu had also lost some of the public sympathy he enjoyed during the 2023 presidential election, attributing the decline to the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.
He said the hardship had left many Nigerians disillusioned with the administration, with “hope” turning into “despair.”
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“I don’t think so. I think his governance has exposed the weakness of the contraption called [the government]. I don’t think he has the sympathies he had in 2023,” Duke said. (Tribune Online)
According to him, political structures may remain important, but the economic realities facing Nigerians could influence how they vote in 2027.
“Yes, you talk about structures and all that but I think on the election day they will be fighting for their own survival,” he said.
Duke maintained that President Tinubu should not be given another four-year term, warning that continued increases in poverty could worsen the country’s challenges.
The PRP candidate said he would pursue a better governance structure if elected president in 2027.
Duke Ready to Step Down for Consensus Candidate
The former governor also expressed his willingness to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if opposition parties agree on a consensus candidate capable of defeating Tinubu.
Asked whether he would step down for another opposition candidate, Duke responded in the affirmative.
“Absolutely. First of all, once we have commonality in objective, the next question is who is best suited for this?” he said. (TheCable)
Duke stressed that the opposition must prioritise its common objective over individual presidential ambitions.
He also warned that a divided opposition could give Tinubu an advantage in the 2027 election.
“Absolutely, with the chequered opposition it won’t work; Tinubu might win,” Duke said, urging opposition parties to anticipate possible challenges and unite ahead of the poll.
His comments come amid growing efforts by opposition parties to explore cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections, including discussions around a possible consensus presidential candidate.
