Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, former 2023 vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party, says Nigeria would witness an immediate transformation if Donald Duke becomes president.
Duke recently emerged as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking in an interview with Symfoni Media, Datti-Ahmed, who recently defected from the Labour Party to the PRP, described Duke as an ideal leader for Nigeria.
“He has lived peacefully and quietly. You see him playing his jazz occasionally,” Datti-Ahmed said.
“He is an excellent material and typically what I call a Nigerian leader.”
While noting that questions about Duke’s emergence should be directed to the party and its delegates, Datti-Ahmed disclosed that he voted for the former Cross River governor during the party’s presidential primary.
“I am a card-carrying member of the party and your choice is guaranteed and protected by the constitution,” he said.
“But I can tell you that I voted for Donald Duke.”
DUKE HAS QUALITIES THAT BEFIT A PRESIDENT
The former vice-presidential candidate said Duke possesses the qualities needed to reposition the country.
“He is an excellent material and undoubtedly, if you have Donald Duke as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Nigeria will turn around immediately,” he said.
“For good. Not the kind of turnaround we saw in 2015.”
Datti-Ahmed criticised the APC administration, which has been in power since 2015, alleging that it failed to deliver on its anti-corruption promises.
“I don’t want to call the man’s name. People thought they would start fighting corruption, but instead, that was when they themselves started collecting cash,” he said.
“Nigeria has never seen corruption like that and never seen disappointment like that.”
According to him, a Duke presidency would deliver genuine reforms and national renewal.
“Nigeria will turn around for good, not like 2015,” he said.
Datti-Ahmed acknowledged that Duke served under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government that ruled Nigeria for 16 years but argued that his performance as governor distinguished him from others.
“PDP got 16 years to misrule Nigeria. I’m sorry Donald Duke was part of that era, but he was only a governor and his state stood out then,” he said.
The former senator also criticised the ruling APC, arguing that the party should not remain in power beyond 2027.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t stop APC in eight years, but it looks like 12 years is about it,” he said.
“They cannot and they must not go beyond 12 years.”
