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Former Cross River State Governor and presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has declared his willingness to step down from the 2027 presidential race if opposition parties agree to support a single candidate against President Bola Tinubu.
Duke said he would respect any collective decision reached by opposition parties to produce a stronger candidate capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
The former governor made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the unveiling of his running mate, Sule Mohammed, and the PRP's 2027 manifesto.
Speaking on the possibility of stepping down for another opposition candidate, Duke said political ambition should not be more important than the collective interest of Nigerians.
He mentioned former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as prominent opposition figures whose candidacies could feature in the discussions.
According to him, opposition parties must first agree on a common vision and direction for Nigeria before deciding who should lead the alliance.
Duke maintained that anyone who believes in democracy must be prepared to respect the outcome of a collective decision, even when it does not favour their personal ambition.
He added that he would expect other presidential candidates to demonstrate the same spirit of cooperation if he eventually emerged as the preferred candidate.
The former Cross River governor, however, warned that Nigerians should not replace the present APC administration with another government that would repeat the same mistakes.
Duke Raises Concern Over Opposition Campaign Challenges
Duke also accused the ruling APC of enjoying an overwhelming advantage in campaign visibility, alleging that opposition parties were finding it difficult to secure advertising spaces and venues for political activities.
He claimed that APC posters and billboards dominated public spaces in several cities, leaving opposition parties struggling to make their presence felt.
He further alleged that advertising costs in some states had become extremely expensive, with political parties reportedly needing as much as N1 billion to begin advertising campaigns.
Duke said the PRP had also been forced to postpone its political retreat several times because of difficulties securing suitable venues.
PRP Says It Will Not Abandon Its Political Structure
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the PRP, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the party was willing to work with other opposition parties to strengthen their chances against the APC in 2027.
However, he ruled out collapsing the PRP's political structure into another party, stressing that supporting opposition unity does not mean abandoning the party's identity.
Baba-Ahmed said the party was considering different options, including supporting one or two opposition candidates who could defeat the APC.
He maintained that the PRP was not participating in the 2027 election merely to make up the numbers but was determined to play a major role in determining Nigeria's political future.
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