Presidential candidates must be grilled on experience, capacity, record – Donald Duke

Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, presidential candidate and former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, has warned that Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges have left the country with no room for experimental leadership.

He said anyone seeking to govern the country at this critical period should be rigorously interrogated on experience, capacity, record and what he or she intended to do differently.

“I don’t think we should be testing. We’re in such dire states right now.  We should actually grill whoever wants to take any responsible position in the public space today,” he said.

The former governor said Nigeria’s condition was already grave, although he maintained that the country could still be repaired with a change in direction.

“We’re already in a disaster. This is a disaster. But it’s repairable,” he said.

Duke, who governed Cross River State between 1999 and 2007, cited his record in office as evidence that governments could deliberately create economic activity by identifying and exploiting the comparative advantages of their territories.

“We were young and boisterous and had a lot of energy. We wanted to prove a point that it could happen.

“We wanted to prove that every federating unit in this country could also be an economic unit.”

He said his administration consequently built its development strategy around areas in which Cross River had identifiable advantages, including agriculture and tourism.

“So we took our strengths, right? Agriculture, we have incredible land mass.  But beyond that, we took a low-hanging fruit like tourism, which everyone thought wouldn’t work. And it worked spectacularly. It can be done. That can-do spirit has been proven before,” he said.

Duke said the central purpose of government should be to create conditions in which citizens could become productive rather than merely administer over them.

“The main essence, the main function of government is the optimal productivity of our citizens within a safe and orderly environment.

“I think that’s what the government is all about. Not just for people to administer or supervise over people, but to ensure that they are productive within a safe and orderly environment,” he said.

According to him, expenditure on education, healthcare and infrastructure should ultimately translate into increased productivity and improved living standards.

“That’s why we send kids to school. That’s why we send them to hospitals. We build infrastructure. All towards the productivity of our citizens.  That is the mission statement of the government. It changes the way we see the dynamics of government,” Duke said.

He said governments should be prepared to develop whatever legitimate economic activity could improve people’s livelihoods.

He said: “Once you have something that legitimately others want — and the word here is legitimately — then you’re productive.

“If by preparing Afang soup, we can get our people living a good life, not below the poverty level, go for it.”

Duke also defended the philosophy behind the Tinapa project initiated during his administration, saying responsibility for its subsequent fortunes should be separated from its conception and condition when he left office.

“Tinapa was one thing that you built in Cross River. It was a dream. To the extent that it was commissioned a month before I left office, it was successful.  Going forward, I think the question should be addressed to those who took over from me,” he said.

On Tinubu administration, Duke acknowledged the President’s political strength but drew a distinction between political ability and governance.

“He’s a formidable politician. My issue with him is governance, not politics.  He’s been a senator, he’s been a two-time governor. Give it to him. He’s a formidable politician.  My issue with him is governance, not politics,” he noted.

Duke said his concern was what he described as the continuing deterioration in living conditions and security.

“If we continue this way, where year after year poverty increases, statistically, not our statistics, international statistics, year after year we’re getting poorer, year after year our security is impaired. I mean, look at what’s going on in the North. And it’s creeping southwards.

“There are sections of the country that are getting poorer faster than other sections of the country. You’ve got to mitigate that.  And he’s not taking us in that direction,” he said.

He rejected suggestions that criticising Tinubu’s governance amounted to claiming personal superiority over the President.

“No. I didn’t say I’m better. I didn’t say I’m better.  I’ll put in place a better governance structure than Bola Tinubu. That’s my conviction.”

Duke said this was also why the emerging opposition coalition should not begin and end with finding someone capable of defeating the incumbent.

“But we also have to have sincerity of purpose. It’s not just to remove one and put another face.

“The first thing is getting a commonality in objectives. Where do we want to take Nigeria to? Where do we think Nigeria ought to be at this time?  Who best amongst the coalition partners can articulate that vision?” he said.

He warned that merely assembling politicians dissatisfied with the incumbent without first establishing an alternative programme would shortchange Nigerians.

“It shouldn’t be seen as a bunch of people trying to unseat a government or impose someone else. No, that would be wrong. And that would be shortchanging Nigerians.

“We must agree on where we ought to take Nigeria to and find a fitting vehicle to take us there,” he said.

Duke said once the opposition agreed on what it wanted to accomplish, it could then determine who was best equipped to execute the programme.

“First of all, once we have a commonality and objective, the next question is who is best suited for this?” he said.

For Duke, Nigeria’s circumstances make that test more urgent than before.

“I don’t think we should be testing,” he reiterated. “We’re in such dire states right now.”