Donald Duke Blows Hot, Says Nigeria’s Democracy Is Nothing But A Facade

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has criticised Nigeria’s democratic system, describing it as a facade that has failed to deliver meaningful improvements in the living conditions of citizens.

Duke made the remarks during an interview on the Policy Without Politics (PWP) podcast, where he argued that Nigerians were economically better off in 1999 than they are in 2026 despite more than two decades of constitutional democracy.

According to the former Cross River State governor, Nigeria has struggled to achieve significant economic growth despite its rising population and increasing government budgets.

“We’re really not in a democracy. It’s a facade. And with each cycle, we get poorer,” Duke said.

He maintained that the country was more affordable in 1999, arguing that the standard of living has deteriorated considerably since then.

Duke also compared Nigeria’s current budgetary capacity with that of previous decades, noting that the country’s annual budget in the era of former President Shehu Shagari was valued at roughly $25 billion when the population was estimated at about 70 million.

He argued that Nigeria’s budget remains around the same dollar value today, despite the population having increased substantially.

According to him, the naira’s significant depreciation has also created the impression of larger budgets when measured in local currency, without necessarily translating into real economic growth.

Duke further linked Nigeria’s insecurity challenges, including Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, to widespread economic hardship. He argued that addressing poverty and creating productive opportunities could play a major role in tackling insecurity.

The PRP candidate said the government’s primary responsibility should be to provide a safe and orderly environment where citizens can work, create wealth and contribute productively to the economy.

He also criticised the use of foreign exchange reserves as a major indicator of economic progress, arguing that greater attention should instead be placed on employment, productivity and the ability of citizens to improve their livelihoods.

Duke urged policymakers to focus on strengthening the productive capacity of Nigerians rather than relying heavily on foreign currency reserves as a measure of economic performance.