Former Cross River State governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has warned that Nigeria could drift into a more serious crisis within the next four years if the country’s current political and economic direction is not urgently changed.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Duke said the worsening condition of the country influenced his decision to return to active politics, adding that he could no longer remain a spectator.
According to him, the situation facing Nigeria requires immediate intervention.
Duke said the country is already facing signs of a looming crisis and warned that the situation could deteriorate further if the present trajectory is not reversed within the next four years.
The former governor explained that growing economic hardship, insecurity and governance challenges motivated his decision to seek the presidency under the PRP.
He said Nigerians can either remain observers who analyse the situation from a distance or become directly involved in efforts to change it.
Duke blamed the country’s difficulties on weak economic growth, poor governance and what he described as years of leadership failure.
He said the economy is not growing and argued that problems such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, banditry and kidnapping are symptoms of deeper governance and economic failures rather than isolated problems.
According to him, successive governments have focused more on politics than governance, leading to weak institutions and declining public confidence in government.
He cited a recent controversy involving an office allegedly operating within the Federal Secretariat without being a recognised government institution as an example of poor governance.
Duke also criticised Nigeria’s economic management, arguing that very high interest rates make sustainable economic growth difficult.
He questioned how an economy could grow effectively when interest rates remain in the upper 30 per cent range.
On the 2027 political landscape, the PRP candidate called for stronger cooperation among opposition parties, saying a divided opposition would struggle to present Nigerians with a credible alternative.
He said opposition groups may share a common objective, but fragmentation weakens their effectiveness.
Duke added that he wants to be a voice of reason and believes opposition parties will eventually need to work together to determine the country’s future direction.
He also urged opposition leaders to place national interest above personal ambition, warning that Nigeria is currently in a difficult position and requires collective leadership to change course.
