PRP presidential candidate Donald Duke links worsening poverty and insecurity to the need for stronger scrutiny of presidential aspirants.
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate and former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, has warned that worsening poverty and insecurity have left Nigeria in dire need of competent leadership, saying the country can no longer afford to experiment with those seeking the presidency.
Duke, who spoke on the state of the nation, said presidential aspirants must be subjected to rigorous scrutiny on their experience, capacity, track record and plans for the country before being entrusted with leadership.
“I don’t think we should be testing. We’re in such dire states right now. We should actually grill whoever wants to take any responsible position in the public space today.”
The former governor, who governed Cross River State between 1999 and 2007, described Nigeria’s situation as a disaster but said the country could still recover if there was a change in direction.
“We’re already in a disaster. This is a disaster. But it’s repairable,” he said.
Duke said the worsening economic situation, rising poverty and insecurity across the country had made competent and purposeful leadership more urgent.
“If we continue this way, where year after year poverty increases, statistically, not our statistics, international statistics, year after year we’re getting poorer, year after year our security is impaired. I mean, look at what’s going on in the North. And it is creeping southwards.”
He said the uneven deterioration in living conditions across the country required deliberate intervention by government.
“There are sections of the country that are getting poorer faster than other sections of the country. You’ve got to mitigate that. And he’s not taking us in that direction.”
While assessing the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Duke acknowledged the President’s political experience and described him as a formidable politician, but said his concern was with governance.
“He’s a formidable politician. My issue with him is governance, not politics. He’s been a senator; he’s been a two-time governor. Give it to him. He’s a formidable politician. My issue with him is governance, not politics.”
Duke rejected the suggestion that his criticism of Tinubu was based on a claim that he was personally better than the president.
“No. I didn’t say I’m better. I didn’t say I’m better. I’ll put in place a better governance structure than Bola Tinubu. That’s my conviction.”
According to Duke, the primary responsibility of government should be to create an environment where citizens can become productive, while ensuring that the country remains safe and orderly.
“The main essence, the main function of government is the optimal productivity of our citizens within a safe and orderly environment.
“I think that’s what the government is all about. Not just for people to administer or supervise over people, but to ensure that they are productive within a safe and orderly environment.”
He said investments in education, healthcare and infrastructure should ultimately be measured by their impact on the productivity and welfare of citizens.
