Duke vows to prioritise competence over political patronage

Former Cross River State governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has said his cabinet may have no politicians if elected president in 2027, insisting that Nigeria’s worsening challenges require competent professionals rather than political appointees chosen to reward loyalty or secure future electoral support.
Duke, who spoke in an interview in Abuja, said he would be prepared to depart from the traditional practice of using cabinet appointments to compensate political allies, arguing that the country’s economic difficulties, insecurity, unemployment and deteriorating public services demanded a government assembled strictly on the basis of compe...