Former Cross River State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has warned that Nigeria needs urgent intervention to prevent the country from sliding into a deeper crisis over the next few years.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Duke expressed concern over the country’s economic challenges, insecurity and what he described as poor governance, saying Nigeria’s current direction requires immediate action.
According to him, failure to change the nation’s trajectory within the next four years could worsen the country’s existing problems.
“The direction the country is going requires very urgent intervention. In another four years, if we don’t change the trajectory, disaster—which is already looming—will deepen further,” Duke said.
The former governor blamed Nigeria’s challenges on a combination of a struggling economy, insecurity and weak leadership, arguing that the country has experienced more politics than governance over the past two decades.
“The economy is broken; it’s not growing. Call it Boko Haram, call it ISWAP, call it banditry or kidnapping—those are the fallout. Those are the symptoms of inadequacy. We have not grown the economy. Governance is poor. In the last 20-plus years, there has been very little governance going on—a lot of politics and no governance,” he stated.
Duke also referenced the recent controversy surrounding the alleged operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, saying the incident reflects the country’s governance challenges.
He questioned how Nigeria could achieve economic growth with high interest rates while stressing that stronger leadership is needed to rebuild the nation.
Explaining his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election, Duke said he could no longer remain a spectator while the country faces growing challenges.
“It’s the urgency—the clear and apparent urgency of where we are today. You could be a spectator and make all sorts of analysis, or you can get involved,” he said.
The PRP presidential candidate also called for greater unity among opposition parties, arguing that Nigeria’s numerous political parties should work together in the country’s interest.
According to him, personal interests and political egos have continued to weaken the opposition despite having common goals.
He added that effective governance requires competent individuals rather than political loyalists, stressing that leadership should focus on delivering results for Nigerians.
Reflecting on his time as governor of Cross River State, Duke said every public office holder should aim to leave the country better than they met it.
“Each appointee of government must have one credo: make sure you leave this place better than you met it. Make sure that you don’t shortchange the country in the process of governance,” he said.
He further argued that politics and governance should not be confused, noting that while politics helps leaders understand the country, governance should be driven by competence and a commitment to national development.
Source: Arise News.
