Donald Duke Willing to Step Down for Consensus Opposition Candidate in 2027

By Nafiu Muhammad Lema

Former Cross River State Governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, says he is prepared to withdraw his ambition if the opposition parties agree on a consensus candidate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Duke made the declaration during an interview with Channels Television on Monday, saying the opposition’s priority should be to identify the candidate best positioned to achieve its shared objective.

Asked whether he would step aside for another presidential candidate, Duke responded in the affirmative.

“Absolutely. First of all, once we have a commonality and objective, the next question is who is best suited for this,” he said.

Using a football match as an analogy, the former governor said political actors must be willing to work together rather than allow individual ambitions to undermine their collective goal.

Duke said he wants to be part of the process of determining the opposition’s direction because, in his view, the movement needs voices capable of providing reason and balance.

‘Tinubu Is a Formidable Politician, But Weak on Governance’

Duke also warned that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could secure re-election in 2027 if opposition parties remain divided.

“Absolutely, with the chequered opposition it won’t work; Tinubu might win,” he said.

He urged opposition parties to anticipate possible challenges on election day and develop strategies to address them, rather than waiting until after the election to complain.

According to Duke, unity remains essential if the opposition is serious about defeating the ruling party.

While acknowledging Tinubu as a strong political strategist, Duke criticised the President’s performance in governance.

“Give it to him, he is a formidable politician, my issue with him is governance not politics. He is weak on governance, from what we have seen over the last three years he is very weak on governance,” Duke said.

He argued that the country’s worsening poverty and other economic challenges make a change of leadership necessary, adding that Nigeria could be pushed further in the wrong direction if the current situation continues.

Duke said that if elected president, he would introduce what he described as a better governance structure.

The debate over a consensus opposition candidate has intensified as the 2027 election approaches. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) remain among the major opposition figures positioning for the presidency.

However, it remains uncertain whether the opposition parties will ultimately agree to field a single consensus candidate against President Tinubu.