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Former Cross River State Governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has warned opposition politicians that President Bola Tinubu would be extremely difficult to defeat in the 2027 presidential election without a united political front.
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Duke said the opposition’s biggest weakness is not necessarily the strength of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but its own fragmentation, ego and competing presidential ambitions.
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He urged opposition leaders to recognise and exploit the reality of incumbency, arguing that the control of government institutions gives a sitting president a substantial electoral advantage.
August 28, (THEWILL) — Former Cross River State Governor and presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has warned opposition politicians seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 that they risk handing victory to the incumbent if they fail to forge a united political front.
Duke described Tinubu as a formidable political opponent and cautioned opposition politicians against underestimating the advantage of incumbency as preparations intensify for the 2027 general election.
The former governor made the remarks in an interview shared on Friday by Symfoni, a podcast on its YouTube channel.
Duke argued that opposition parties could not realistically defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate by entering the election as a collection of fragmented parties and competing candidates.
According to him, the control of state institutions by an incumbent government creates an electoral advantage that opposition politicians must acknowledge when developing their strategy.
“Even if the APC did nothing, right? They’re the party in power. If there’s a problem on that day, the IG of police will not go to any of the contestants. He’ll go to the president. So everything is skewed in favour of the incumbent. Respect that,” he said.
Duke’s assessment comes against the backdrop of continuing discussions among opposition politicians about forming a coalition capable of challenging the APC in 2027.
Several opposition figures have been exploring possible alliances, mergers and common platforms, amid concerns that a divided opposition could split the anti-incumbency vote and inadvertently strengthen Tinubu’s chances of securing another term.
For Duke, however, the solution is not another collection of loosely coordinated political arrangements but a sufficiently strong alliance capable of confronting the APC as a single political force.
“The only way you can seriously charge tackling the incumbent is to come together to tackle and to have the force. Otherwise, you’ll be factionalised. So, I think when you talk of rigging, we’re rigging it against ourselves because of our ego. We need to come together,” he said
‘Tinubu Is Not An Average Politician’
Duke was particularly emphatic in his assessment of Tinubu’s political strength, warning opposition politicians that the President should not be treated as an ordinary electoral opponent.
“Bola Tinubu is not an average politician. You don’t go to fight a lion who also has horns,” he said.
He expanded the metaphor to underline what he considers the danger of confronting the President without adequate political preparation and organisational strength.
“Can you imagine a lion with a horn? Yes, right? It’s already a dangerous animal. Then you now give it a horn and you say go and fight it with knife and fork. You’ll be the dinner. So, let’s get real,” Duke said.
Duke suggested that opposition politicians could effectively undermine their own chances if they allow individual ambitions to take precedence over the broader objective of defeating the incumbent.
Duke warned that unless those differences are resolved, opposition politicians could enter the election divided and allow Tinubu to benefit from their inability to agree on a common strategy and candidate.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
