The presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, Donald Duke, has warned opposition political parties against going into the 2027 presidential election as a divided force, saying they would have themselves to blame if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu secures another victory.
Duke, a former governor of Cross River State, spoke during an interview on Channels Television, where he stressed the need for opposition leaders and presidential contenders to work towards a common objective ahead of the election.
He said opposition parties must learn from previous elections and take deliberate steps to anticipate and address challenges that could arise on election day.
“Absolutely, with the chequered opposition it won’t work; Tinubu might win,” Duke said.
The former governor said the major concern of the opposition should be how to prepare for and mitigate possible challenges before the election rather than complaining after the exercise.
“The reality is that things are bound to happen on that election day. How to mitigate those things should be the major concern of the opposition,” he said.
“I don’t like people who cry wolf after it has happened. We have done this several times over, we should anticipate it, and united we stand if we do it. If we don’t, then we will only have ourselves to blame because it has repeated itself.”
Duke also expressed his willingness to step down for a consensus candidate if opposition parties agree on a common objective and identify the person best suited to lead the coalition.
“Absolutely. First of all, once we have a commonality and objective, the next question is who is best suited for this?” he said when asked whether he would be willing to step down for another presidential candidate.
He, however, said he wanted to remain actively involved in the process, arguing that the opposition required different voices and ideas as it prepared for the 2027 election.
Duke also described Tinubu as a formidable politician but criticised his performance in government, saying his concern with the President was centred on governance rather than politics.
“Give it to him, he is a formidable politician. My issue with him is governance, not politics. He is weak on governance,” Duke said.
According to him, the country was facing significant challenges, particularly rising poverty, and warned that the opposition must present a credible and united alternative to Nigerians.
The call comes amid growing discussions among opposition political leaders and parties over the possibility of presenting a consensus presidential candidate to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi are among prominent opposition figures expected to play major roles in the political contest ahead of the election.
Duke’s declaration adds to the growing pressure on opposition leaders to set aside individual ambitions and forge a united front, with the former governor insisting that failure to do so could once again work in favour of the ruling party.
