The presidential candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has urged opposition parties to unite around a shared vision for Nigeria, warning that repeating the divisions of the 2023 elections in 2027 would bring lasting shame.
Duke gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling his manifesto, titled A Compact for Nigeria’s Renewal.
He urged opposition parties to bridge their differences, not for personal ambition, but to protect the country’s democratic foundations.
“We erred in 2023 and we are repeating same in 2027. It is said, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. The shame will certainly be on us,” he said.
Duke called on opposition forces to adopt unconventional strategies to challenge what he described as an unguarded political establishment.
“David did not defeat Goliath in a wrestling bout, but by strategy and unconventional means,” he said.
The PRP National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the event marked the party’s transition from political aspirations to preparing for governance.
He praised Duke, his running mate, Sule Mohammed, and more than 500 other candidates, describing them as people of integrity, competence and courage who could address the country’s economic and security challenges.
Baba-Ahmed acknowledged the difficulties facing the party, particularly competition against incumbent politicians with access to state power and substantial financial resources.
He said opposition candidates would face politicians who used money to influence voters, while the PRP was seeking public trust and support based on integrity.
“We will find resistance from politicians who bribe our people for our future, while we ask for trust and the courage to choose quality and integrity,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to reject vote-buying, declaring that “Nigeria and Nigerians are not for sale”.
Baba-Ahmed also announced the party’s plan to require all its candidates to sign a binding compact with their constituents, committing them to accountability, service and the values of the party’s 70-year-old progressive movement.
He urged the candidates to reject conventional political practices and campaign with sincerity, respect and commitment to national development.
Speaking to journalists after the event, Duke expressed concern about the judiciary and the prospects of an opposition coalition.
He said the integrity of judges was crucial to the survival of democracy, likening a judge’s role to that of a referee in a sporting contest.
“If you go to a match and you have a biased referee, then the integrity of the entire game is compromised,” the former Cross River governor said.
He, however, expressed hope that newly appointed judges would discharge their duties without fear or favour, noting that their decisions would shape the country’s future.
On the proposed opposition alliance, Duke said forming a coalition required more than agreeing on a presidential candidate, stressing the need for a shared vision for the country.
He said he would respect the democratic process within any alliance and support a candidate if members reached a consensus on who was best suited to lead.
“You can’t call for a democrat and you’re not submitting to the rules and to the regulations of democracy,” he said.
“At the end of the day, I’m a sportsman about it,” he added.
Duke also alleged that opposition parties faced systemic obstacles to campaigning, including high advertising costs and restrictions on access to public venues.
