2027: Nigeria’s problem is lack of vision, not poor leadership — Donald Duke

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Mr Donald Duke, has said Nigeria’s challenges are not only about poor leadership but also the absence of a clear vision among successive administrations.

Duke, who is a former governor of Cross River State, said the country had gradually lost its pathway and was underperforming, stressing that Nigeria required leaders with a clearly articulated long-term vision to get it out of the woods.

He spoke at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, where he explained his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election, saying he wanted to contribute to the national conversation and offer an alternative to the current political leadership.

Duke said, “Nigeria’s problem is a leadership one. Yes, fundamentally, but it’s also a vision one. There have been too many successive governments without any vision.”

According to him, the country had failed to adequately prepare younger generations for leadership, unlike systems where prospective leaders are exposed to the workings of government before assuming top positions.

He recalled his involvement in identifying young Nigerians who could serve in government during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying the country must deliberately prepare the next generation of leaders.

Explaining his renewed ambition, the former governor said he wanted to be “part of the discussion” and contribute to finding solutions to the country’s problems rather than merely criticising those in power.

“I want the conversation, not mudslinging or abusing the President (Bola Tinubu). There is nothing you’ll say about the President that is not already out there. So why are you rehashing it?” he asked.

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Duke challenged the Federal Government to articulate where it intended to take Nigeria in the next 10, 20 or 50 years, arguing that every administration should be building for the future rather than embarking on projects without a clearly-defined national development plan.

“My challenge with the current administration is that there is no articulated vision of where we’re going, and there’s no growth in the system,” he said, adding that Nigerians should be able to look forward to a tomorrow that was better than today.

He suggested that opposition presidential candidates should sit around a table and agree that one person should take the lead, although he said he was uncertain when such an agreement could be reached. Duke nevertheless maintained that a collaborative opposition ticket offered a more hopeful route to producing a new government in 2027.

Duke also argued that the ruling APC should not feel too comfortable with the assumption that because it had over 30 governors, it would automatically win the elections.

According to him, while some of the governors align with the APC, they will neither campaign for the party openly or work with the determination to retain it in powers beyond 2027.

Duke claimed that most northern states would most likely work for the emergence of a new leadership than continuing with the Tinubu administration “because they are the most affected by the policies of this government.”

However, he admitted that the opposition, in its current “fragmented” state, would have a tough huddle unseating the APC unless they resolved to collaborate.

Asked when such a discussion and agreement could be reached, Duke replied that he was unsure, though he admitted that a collaborative ticket by the opposition remained a more hopeful approach to birth a new government in 2027.