Duke Critiques Nigeria's Democracy After 27 Years

Donald Duke, the former governor of Cross River State and presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), expressed his concerns regarding Nigeria's democratic governance during an interview on Sunday. He stated that after 27 years of civilian rule, the country has not seen significant improvements in the lives of its citizens, suggesting that people were better off under military rule due to lower governance costs.

Duke emphasized that the assessment of democracy should focus on the welfare of citizens and the delivery of "democracy dividends" since the return to civilian rule in 1999. He pointed out that issues such as electrification and unemployment, which existed before 1999, remain unresolved.

Duke criticized the weakened opposition and the political system that often fails to reflect voters' wishes, leading to public disenchantment with the electoral process. He noted that many citizens do not vote because they believe their votes do not count, highlighting a broader governance crisis in Nigeria.