Duke seeks opposition’s unity

•Warns against repeating 2023 mistakes, 1966 crisis •PRP unveils manifesto, makes candidates sign accountability pact

By Clifford Ndujihe & Luminous Jannamike

PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Mr Donald Duke, has urged opposition parties to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that failure to learn from the mistakes of 2023 could have grave consequences for Nigeria’s democracy.

Read Also: Donald Duke: From Cross River record to PRP’s 2027 presidential gamble

Duke, who spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the party’s manifesto, A Compact for Nigeria’s Renewal, cautioned that opposition parties must rise above personal ambitions and differences to defend the country’s democratic foundations.

He expressed doubts about the possibility of free and fair elections under the prevailing political circumstances, alleging that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration was deploying state institutions and other mechanisms to weaken opposition parties.

“What should be clear to us all, the players and the electorate, is that we would be foolish to expect a free and fair electoral process, what some may term a level playing field. This will not happen, was never planned nor intended to happen,” he said.

Warning against repeating the political miscalculations of 2023, the former Cross River State governor said: “We erred in 2023 and we are repeating the same in 2027. It is said, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. The shame will certainly be on us.”

He called for strategic thinking and unconventional approaches by opposition forces to confront what he described as an unguarded political establishment.

“David did not defeat Goliath in a wrestling bout, but by strategy and unconventional means,” he said.

Duke alleged that opposition parties were being frustrated through restrictions on access to public venues, advertising opportunities, political intimidation and the use of state institutions.

He also questioned the credibility of the electoral process, alleging that more than 10 million artificially generated voters had entered the register of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

‘Nigeria risks another 1966 crisis’

He warned that the political situation could degenerate into a crisis reminiscent of the events preceding the 1966 military intervention if opposition parties failed to collectively resist alleged abuses of power.

The PRP candidate also criticised the administration’s economic policies, arguing that widespread hardship, insecurity, rising taxes, electricity and transportation costs, and declining purchasing power should not be passed off as reforms.

“It is only in Nigeria that hardship is termed reform,” he declared.

On the proposed opposition coalition, Duke said political alliance-building must begin with agreement on a common vision for the country rather than merely negotiating who should emerge as presidential candidate.

He said he would support whoever emerged through a democratic process, stressing that coalition members must respect agreed rules.

“You can’t call for a democrat and you’re not submitting to the rules and to the regulations of democracy,” he said.

He added: “At the end of the day, I’m a sportsman about it.”

On the judiciary, Duke said the integrity of the electoral process depended partly on the impartiality of judges handling political disputes.

“If you go to a match and you have a biased referee, then the integrity of the entire game is compromised,” he said, expressing hope that newly appointed judges would dispense justice without fear or favour.

Earlier, PRP National Chairman, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the party was repositioning itself to move beyond political aspirations and prepare for governance.

He commended Duke, his running mate, Malam Sule Mohammed, and more than 500 other party candidates, describing them as people of integrity, competence and courage capable of offering Nigerians an alternative.

Baba-Ahmed acknowledged the challenges confronting opposition parties, particularly their competition against incumbents with access to state power and enormous financial resources.

He accused politicians of using money to manipulate voters, but urged Nigerians to reject inducements and vote according to their convictions.

“We will find resistance from politicians who bribe our people for our future, while we ask for trust and the courage to choose quality and integrity,” he said.

He added: “Nigeria and Nigerians are not for sale.”

The PRP chairman announced that the party would introduce a binding Compact with Constituents, requiring its candidates to make commitments on accountability, accessibility, responsible leadership and adherence to the party’s founding progressive ideals.

He said the initiative was designed to make elected representatives accountable to the people rather than treat political office as a personal entitlement.

Baba-Ahmed also highlighted the party’s participation in the emerging Coalition for Democracy, urging its candidates to reject conventional transactional politics and campaign with sincerity, respect and commitment to national redemption.

He said the PRP was determined to compete for power in 2027 despite the financial and institutional challenges facing opposition parties.