Former Cross River State Governor and Presidential Candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has said his ambition to become Nigeria’s president is driven by his vision for a better country rather than personal fulfilment or the pursuit of political power.
Duke said his record as governor of Cross River State provided evidence of his capacity to translate his vision into practical results, arguing that voters should assess presidential candidates based on their previous performance and ability to deliver on their promises.
Speaking on Monday during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, the former governor said his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election was informed by his desire to improve the living conditions of Nigerians.
“I’m not in politics because I’m seeking actualization. I’m in politics because I want to actualize a vision of a better Nigeria,” he said.
Duke maintained that his eight-year tenure as governor demonstrated his ability to work with limited resources to achieve developmental objectives.
“If I came into this race without a track record, then I’m making promises which may not be true. But if you dig deep enough, and examine my eight years as governor of Cross River State and what we were able to do out of little or nothing, then I think you’ll find me better disposed to keep my word,” he said.
He also described the PRP as a platform that could allow him to pursue his political vision without the compromises he associated with larger political parties.
According to him, established parties often involve political trade-offs that can constrain leaders before they begin implementing their programmes.
He argued that Nigeria’s major challenge was not a shortage of resources but the failure to harness its human and economic potential for the benefit of the wider population.
“What we would like to do is actualise the mass of our people,” he said, pointing to the need to create jobs and expand opportunities, particularly for economically disadvantaged Nigerians.
Duke added that Nigeria’s population could become a major economic advantage if citizens were productively engaged and earned sufficient incomes to participate meaningfully in the economy.
“Our real strength is our numbers. Unfortunately, when not properly utilized or unutilised at all, it becomes our worst enemy,” he said.
Duke identified the productivity of citizens within a safe and orderly environment as the central responsibility of government.
“I’ve said over and over again that the critical function of government is to ensure the productivity of our people within a safe and orderly environment. That is the mission statement of our government. To ensure the optimal productivity of our people,” he said.
He argued that Nigeria’s major challenge was not a shortage of resources but the failure to harness its human and economic potential for the benefit of the wider population.
“What we would like to do is actualise the mass of our people,” he said, pointing to the need to create jobs and expand opportunities, particularly for economically disadvantaged Nigerians.
Duke added that Nigeria’s population could become a major economic advantage if citizens were productively engaged and earned sufficient incomes to participate meaningfully in the economy.
“Our real strength is our numbers. Unfortunately, when not properly utilised or unutilised at all, it becomes our worst enemy,” he said.
The Former Cross River State Governor identified the productivity of citizens within a safe and orderly environment as the central responsibility of government, stressing that economic policies must make it easier for businesses to operate, invest and create jobs.
He called for urgent action to address high interest rates and energy costs, which he described as major obstacles to economic growth and private-sector productivity.
“It is very, very urgent. We have to deal with the factors of production. We cannot have 38 per cent interest rate and expect the economy to grow. You have to deal with the biggest inflationary item in the book, which is your energy price,” Duke said.
He proposed a domestic crude oil pricing and refining arrangement that would prioritise local production and make petrol more affordable for Nigerians.
Duke said the federal government should supply crude oil it owns and has not already committed to other buyers to domestic refineries at cost, while charging for contract refining and adding distribution expenses and a 10 per cent margin.
“Don’t sell your crude oil to traders. Sell it to your own local refinery here, the one that you have here, at cost. Sell it to them at cost. Charge them contract refining so that they refine it also at their cost,” he said.
The former governor argued that petrol and diesel should be treated as essential inputs for economic activity rather than primarily as sources of government revenue.
He explained that revenue from other petroleum products could help reduce the cost of petrol and diesel, which affect transportation, food prices, electricity generation and the operating expenses of businesses.
“The profits you make from the other four by-products, you use it to dampen the price of petrol and diesel. Because that is the fuel of your economy. That’s what makes the economy move,” Duke said.
While acknowledging the debate surrounding fuel subsidies, he maintained that the government should focus on affordability through its domestic petroleum supply and pricing arrangements rather than reinstating an unsustainable subsidy regime.
“That is why I’m saying that people are talking of subsidy. But I’m saying you don’t need to do subsidy because it’s not sustainable. Subsidy is not sustainable. Right? But you need to make it affordable,” he said.
Duke also criticised the high cost of borrowing, citing interest rates of about 38 per cent as a major constraint on businesses seeking to expand or invest in infrastructure.
Duke maintained that the central objective of government should be to create conditions in which Nigerians can work, earn incomes and contribute to national development, while security agencies and the judiciary ensure a safe and orderly society.
He said his ultimate goal was to contribute to a political direction that would improve productivity, strengthen public welfare and ensure that Nigeria’s resources worked for the benefit of its citizens.
