The Peoples Redemption Party presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has expressed uncertainty over whether Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress will contest the 2027 presidential election, describing the activist as a “voice of conscience.”
Duke made the remarks during an interview with the Naija Unfiltered Podcast while speaking about ongoing attempts by opposition politicians and groups, including G100, to establish a united front against the Bola Tinubu-led administration ahead of the 2027 election.
He said Sowore occupies a distinct position within the political landscape because he raises issues that some politicians may hesitate to address due to the constraints of political civility.
“Let me talk about Sowore. I like him. I’m not sure Sowore is running for office, with due respect to him, but I see him as a voice of conscience,” Duke said.
“He says things that some of us, maybe due to civility, won’t say, but they’re real.”
While supporting continued efforts to bring opposition groups together, Duke cautioned that an alliance should not be formed solely with the aim of removing President Tinubu from office.
He also pointed out that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, had not participated in some of the meetings convened as part of the opposition’s efforts to achieve greater unity.
“It’s unfortunate that the two other candidates, Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Peter Obi, stayed away,” he said.
According to Duke, consultations among opposition stakeholders remain underway as participants work towards establishing a framework for cooperation. He expressed optimism that the discussions would eventually produce an outcome.
The PRP candidate said the opposition should first reach an agreement on its vision for Nigeria before determining who should emerge as its presidential candidate.
“If it’s coming together just for the sake of defeating the incumbent, then I think it’s a waste of time. We must have a central objective about where we’d like to take Nigeria to, and who is best suited to do that,” he said.
Duke further proposed a long-term merger of opposition parties, arguing that the presidential system makes it difficult for a divided opposition to mount an effective challenge.
“I think the long-term objective is to merge the opposition. You can’t have a fractured opposition in a presidential system,” Duke said.
He also urged political actors to move away from what he called the “winner-takes-all syndrome,” saying a broader approach to governance would create room for greater participation by different political interests.
“I hear we have about 18 presidential candidates. They should all come together. There’s enough in Nigeria for all of us, and this winner-takes-all syndrome must end. That’s what we’re hoping for,” he said.
Duke added that consultations among opposition stakeholders were still in progress, saying the direction and outcome of the efforts would become clearer as the discussions continue.
