The presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has accused Nigeria's political class of capturing the country and weaponising poverty for electoral gains, declaring that “political gangsters and highwaymen” have laid siege to the nation.
Duke spoke in Abuja during the presentation of certificates of return and party flags to the PRP’s presidential, governorship, National Assembly and other candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former Cross River State governor said Nigeria was facing an existential crisis brought about by years of poor leadership, corruption, insecurity and economic mismanagement, stressing that the country needed a fundamental change in governance.
“The truth is that we have lost focus. Political gangsters and highwaymen have laid siege to and appropriated our land, ruling with impunity. They have weaponised the poverty they created, and every four years they return seeking a so-called mandate, loading further burdens upon our already weary shoulders,” Duke said.
According to him, insecurity has deteriorated to the point where criminal groups now exercise authority over citizens in parts of the country.
“Our land has become so desolate that bandits, gangsters and kidnappers collect taxes while government collects excuses,” he stated.
Duke lamented that Nigerians had become accustomed to insecurity, inefficiency and government indifference, adding that many citizens now live in fear while economic opportunities continue to diminish.
He cited reports indicating that kidnappers collected about N2 trillion in ransom payments in 2025, describing the situation as evidence of the failure of leadership.
The PRP presidential candidate promised to pursue policies that would create jobs, promote local production, improve education and healthcare, strengthen security and make energy more affordable.
He argued that petroleum products meant for domestic consumption should not be tied to international pricing mechanisms and called for greater utilisation of Nigeria’s gas resources to drive industrialisation and lower energy costs.
Duke also advocated free and compulsory education up to senior secondary school level, universal health insurance coverage and reforms aimed at making teaching an attractive profession.
“We must produce what we need. We cannot continue keeping the factories of the world running while ours remain shut down,” he said.
He criticised the country’s elite for sending their children abroad for education, insisting that confidence in Nigeria’s educational system would improve only when leaders and privileged citizens patronise local schools.
The former governor pledged to prioritise the welfare of ordinary Nigerians if elected. “The scavengers have had their turn. Now it is the turn of the common man—the true Nigerian: the keke rider, the okada rider, the street hawker, the market woman, the farmer and the unemployed graduate. And I, Donald Duke, seek to be their champion,” he declared.
Earlier, National Chairman of the PRP, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the party was offering Nigerians an alternative to what he described as decades of failed leadership and abuse of democratic institutions.
He accused successive leaders of converting the country’s collective wealth into private assets and exploiting ethnic and religious differences for political advantage.
“Today we serve notice to fellow Nigerian citizens that the journey to a different, happier future is not an illusion. It is a compelling necessity which can and must bear a successful end,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He described Duke as one of Nigeria’s finest political leaders, citing his record as governor of Cross River State.
“Former Governor of Cross River State Donald Duke represents the best of Nigerian leaders. His enviable record as governor speaks volumes on the place of intelligence, vision, integrity and an uncompromising commitment to the public good in leadership,” he said.
Also speaking on behalf of the Ekiti State chapter of the party, Ayodele Olaniyi Praise described the PRP as a growing national movement with support cutting across ethnic, religious and regional divides.
He said the forthcoming Ekiti governorship election would provide an opportunity for the party to demonstrate its national appeal and build momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, a strong performance in Ekiti would signal that Nigerians are prepared for a new political direction.
