By Peace Udugba — The Daily Torch Media
The presidential candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could retain power in the 2027 general election if opposition parties fail to unite behind a common candidate.
Duke gave the warning during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, on Monday, October 19, 2026.
He argued that divisions among opposition parties could split their votes and give the ruling party an electoral advantage, even if it fails to secure a majority of the total votes cast nationwide.
According to Duke, the success of the opposition in defeating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential election was largely due to the merger and cooperation of opposition parties under the APC.
He noted that the PDP had controlled the federal government for 16 years before losing power in 2015, when opposition forces rallied behind a common political platform.
“The reason why the opposition was able to unseat the ruling party in 2015 was that they came together. When you look at the results of 2023, you find that the current administration, the APC government, only won about 10 per cent of the vote. The opposition had over 60 per cent of the vote,” Duke said.
He maintained that the opposition’s failure to replicate the 2015 strategy in the 2023 presidential election contributed to its inability to defeat the APC.
“In a presidential system of government, or a presidential democracy, you need just two parties. Where you have more than two parties, most likely, the incumbent party will always win because the opposition will split their votes, which we saw in 2023,” he said.
Duke warned that a similar division ahead of the 2027 election could once again work in favour of the ruling party.
“But I’m repeating over again that if we don’t all come together, the APC would win the election. Not by majority of the votes cast. No, the APC knows very well that it can never win a majority of the votes cast,” he added.
Duke Explains APC’s Electoral Advantage
The former Cross River State governor argued that Nigeria’s presidential election system allows a candidate to win without securing more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast, provided the constitutional requirements for victory are satisfied.
He suggested that the APC could benefit from its political spread across states while opposition parties divide their support among multiple candidates.
Duke claimed that the ruling party’s control of several state governments could give it an advantage in meeting the constitutional geographical spread required for presidential victory.
He said the opposition must therefore develop a coordinated strategy rather than allow personal ambitions and party interests to undermine its chances.
Opposition Must Agree on Nigeria’s Future
Duke stressed that opposition unity should not be based solely on the desire to remove President Bola Tinubu and the APC from power.
Instead, he urged opposition leaders to agree on a common national agenda and determine the direction they want to take Nigeria before selecting a presidential candidate.
“Coming together is not essentially to remove the APC and replace them with another party that will probably do the same thing. Let’s have a common objective for Nigeria first and foremost. Where do we want to take Nigeria to?” he asked.
He also called on opposition politicians to put aside their personal ambitions and prioritise the interests of Nigerians.
“The first thing you have to get rid of is your ego. Submit or just lock away your ego. You’re talking about the administration of the lives of people, right? You cannot put yourself above,” Duke said.
The PRP presidential candidate further declared that he was willing to support another opposition candidate if the person emerged through a credible process and shared a clear vision for the country.
“I don’t have to be president,” he said.
‘Don’t Repeat the Mistakes of 2023’
Duke warned that opposition parties should not expect a different outcome in 2027 if they repeat the political divisions that characterised the 2023 presidential election.
He urged opposition leaders to identify a suitable candidate, agree on a shared national agenda and work together to challenge the APC.
“If you do the same thing that you did in 2023 and you do it again today, you think you’re going to be different or you’re not more popular than you were in 2023, then I think you’re not thinking right,” he said.
His comments add to the debate over opposition alliances, candidate selection and the strategies political parties may adopt ahead of the 2027 general election.
