Former Cross River State Governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has expressed willingness to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if opposition parties agree on a consensus candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu.
Duke said he would respect a collective decision by opposition parties to support a candidate considered better positioned to lead the proposed coalition.
He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja during the unveiling of his running mate, Sule Mohammed, and the party’s manifesto.
According to a report by The Punch, Duke was responding to a question on whether he would step down for a stronger opposition candidate if the PRP and other parties agreed to back one person against Tinubu.
He argued that opposition parties must first agree on a common vision for Nigeria before deciding who should lead the coalition.
“A coalition is not just about picking a presidential candidate. That’s the mistake we’re all making. It’s about us coming together to agree on where we would like to take our nation to,” he said.
Although he acknowledged the prominence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Duke said he would not prejudge the outcome of the negotiations.
He maintained that he would accept the group’s decision if another aspirant emerged as the preferred candidate.
“But at the end of the day, I’ll be sportsmanlike about it. If the group, and so far there are quite a number of us, comes up with an agreement that this is the best person to lead the coalition, you can’t say you’re a democrat and not be subject to the rules of democracy,” he said.
Duke added that he would expect other aspirants to show the same commitment to the coalition if he eventually emerged as its preferred candidate.
“If it’s me, I hope they would do the same. And if it’s any other person, I would do the same. I would respect it. But you can’t call for a coalition, then disagree if you don’t follow your part,” he stated.
However, he warned that the opposition must avoid replacing the APC administration with another government that would repeat its alleged governance failures.
“We don’t want to replace the APC or the present administration with someone who would take us back again,” he said.
The former governor also accused the ruling APC of enjoying an unfair advantage in campaign visibility, claiming that opposition parties were facing difficulties securing advertising spaces and venues for political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said APC billboards and posters dominated major cities, while other political parties struggled to make their presence felt.
“You can see what is happening to other opposition parties who have been on the campaign trail. If you go throughout the country, you hardly find their billboards and posters on the streets of the various cities across Nigeria. You only find one party, the APC,” he said.
Duke alleged that advertising spaces had become extremely expensive in some states, with political parties reportedly required to spend as much as ₦1 billion to begin advertising campaigns.
He said the cost would be a major challenge for parties seeking visibility across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The PRP candidate also disclosed that his party had postponed its retreat several times because it struggled to secure venues.
“Now, as it pertains to us in the PRP, we had to postpone this retreat several times because we were deprived of venues. Sometimes, they’ll tell you, ‘Oh, the date has been booked. Go to other venues,’” he said.
The PRP National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the party was exploring ways to strengthen opposition unity but would not dissolve its political structure into another party.
He said the PRP was prepared to support one or two opposition candidates capable of defeating the APC but insisted that joining a coalition would not mean abandoning the party’s identity.
“Well, as it pertains to us in the PRP, if you ask us about the current state of our campaign, we will tell you. But we can’t collapse the structure for anybody because that time is over,” Baba-Ahmed said.
He added that discussions on possible political realignments were ongoing, with the party still considering available options.
Baba-Ahmed also dismissed suggestions that the PRP was contesting the 2027 election merely to make up the numbers.
He said the party was committed to negotiations that would produce a strong opposition alliance with clear plans to address insecurity, economic hardship, youth participation and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“We will discuss how we will win elections without stolen fortunes. We will adopt strategies that give voices to women and the young Nigerian; courage to beleaguered communities under constant attack from all manner of killers, kidnappers and terrorists,” he said.
He further called for a coalition that would guarantee equal opportunities for Nigerians, regardless of their religion or geographical background.
“We have faith that Nigerians will choose wisely in 2027, and disappoint those who think we are cheap and disposable. We are ready to be part of the change we all need. Nigeria must survive 2027. We are not in the race for leadership in 2027 just to make up the numbers. We are in this contest to win,” he added.
Duke’s comments come amid renewed efforts by opposition parties to form an alliance capable of challenging Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Premium Times previously reported that representatives of six opposition parties, including the PRP, ADC, NDC, Allied Peoples Movement, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Social Democratic Party, attended an opposition summit in Abuja on August 31.
The meeting, facilitated by the G100 opposition unity initiative, agreed to establish committees and working groups to develop proposals on political cooperation, a common national reform programme and the possibility of presenting a single presidential candidate.
However, disagreements have continued over the proposed arrangement, particularly on whether the coalition should produce one presidential candidate or focus on electoral cooperation.
In October, the ADC said the G100 discussions were not specifically aimed at producing a single presidential candidate but were focused on exploring cooperation among opposition parties, including strategies for protecting votes.
The PRP’s position adds to the ongoing negotiations, with its leadership expressing willingness to support a common opposition candidate while maintaining the party’s independent structure.
