By Kingston Magare 7.9.2026
Former Cross River State governor Donald Duke said 26 uninterrupted years of democracy has brought nothing but misery and anguish to Nigeria and its citizens.
Mr. Duke argued that when the military handed over power in 1999, Nigeria was a relatively stable country, but after successive civil governance there was nothing to justify constitutional democracy.
The country has had six civilian presidents since the return to democratic rule in 1999. President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking re-election, is the sixth.
Duke, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party ahead of the 2027 elections, said Nigeria had failed to achieve meaningful economic growth despite its growing population and increased budgetary allocations over the years.
“We’re really not in a democracy. It’s a facade. And with each cycle, we get poorer,” he said.
“I can say to you very clearly that in 1999, the people were better off than they are today, in 2026. They were much better off. The country was more affordable.”
He argued that Nigeria’s annual budget during the administration of the late former President Shehu Shagari in the early 1980s averaged about $25 billion, when the country’s population was roughly 70 million.
“Today, our population is anywhere between 200 and 250 million. We don’t know. But our budget is still hovering around $25 billion,” he said.
“We call it trillions because of the devaluation and all that. At that time, the naira was N1 to $1. Today, it’s around N1,400 to a dollar. So, we have not grown.”
According to him, the primary responsibility of the government is to create an environment where citizens can be productive.
“The essence of having a government in place is to ensure the optimal productivity of citizens within a safe and orderly environment,” he said.
Duke also faulted the use of foreign reserves as a major measure of economic progress, saying employment and citizens’ productivity should be given greater consideration.
“Let’s stop measuring the progress of our economy by the amount of dollars or foreign currency we have in our reserves because that only means that you want to import more things all the time,” he said.
“Let’s measure the value of our economy by the number of people who are working.
“Everything, whether it’s schooling, education or whatever you are doing, should be geared towards the productivity of our citizens. I think that is the kernel of government,” Duke said.
Donald Duke...speaking.