Duke warns opposition to unite against Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, Donald Duke, has called President Bola Tinubu a strong political rival. He warned that opposition politicians should not try to unseat the current president without first coming together for the 2027 general election.

Duke, who used to be the governor of Cross River State, shared this in an interview with Symfoni on its YouTube channel on Friday.

He said that a divided group cannot defeat Tinubu in 2027.

While talking about the chances of opposition parties going against the All Progressives Congress in 2027, Duke said the advantages of being in power should not be overlooked.

He explained that the ruling party’s control over government bodies gives the president a major edge during elections.

“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,” Duke said.

He pointed out that opposition parties must unite if they want to effectively challenge Tinubu.

He stated, “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.”

Duke used a strong analogy to emphasize the challenge of facing Tinubu. He urged opposition politicians to acknowledge the president's political power.

“Bola Tinubu is not an average politician. You don’t go to fight a lion who also has horns,” he said.

Duke explained that going against such a strong opponent without being ready would put the challenger at risk.

“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,” he said.

While PUNCH Online cannot confirm when the interview took place, Duke’s remarks come as opposition politicians and parties are looking to form possible alliances for the 2027 presidential election.

The former governor of Cross River emphasized that a divided opposition could help the incumbent. He said politicians need to set aside personal goals and differences to build a strong alternative.

Duke is the presidential candidate of the PRP for the 2027 election, positioning him among the opposition figures aiming to challenge the APC and Tinubu in the polls.

His comments highlight a key issue that will shape the opposition’s approach ahead of the election: whether different parties and politicians can put aside their ambitions and create a united front strong enough to take on the incumbent.