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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Donald Duke says Nigerians were better off under military rule, argues democracy has failed to deliver

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Interview Named sources Context piece
  • Former Cross River State governor Donald Duke said Nigerians were better off under military rule because civilian governance had become more expensive without delivering comparable improvements.
  • He cited worsening conditions in education, healthcare, infrastructure, electrification and employment since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
  • Duke also criticized a weakened opposition and disputed elections, saying many Nigerians believe their votes do not count.

Donald Duke says Nigeria’s 27 years of civilian rule have failed the basic test of improving people’s lives. In an interview, the former Cross River State governor and Peoples Redemption Party presidential candidate argued that Nigerians were better off under military rule because governance cost less.

The people today, Sunny, I would tell you that they were better off under the military.

· Donald DukeDuke compared current civilian rule with Nigeria’s period of military government.

“The people today, Sunny, I would tell you that they were better off under the military,” Duke said. “At least governance was not that expensive.” He said democracy should be judged by the wellbeing of citizens and the quality of public services and infrastructure, not simply by the existence of civilian government.

Duke said Nigeria still faces the same problems that existed before the return to democracy in 1999, and that some have worsened. He pointed to the number of children out of school, the healthcare system and infrastructure deficiencies. Electrification and unemployment, he said, also remain unresolved, without a structured approach from successive administrations.

At least governance was not that expensive.

· Donald DukeHe cited the cost of civilian administration as part of his criticism of democracy’s performance.

“This is my frustration, because there’s no problem we cannot resolve,” Duke said. He argued that Nigeria could learn from peer countries and should think through its problems more systematically.

This is my frustration, because there’s no problem we cannot resolve.

· Donald DukeDuke said Nigeria’s persistent challenges could be addressed through more structured policymaking.

He also blamed the country’s political difficulties on a weakened, self-interested opposition and electoral outcomes that often fail to reflect voters’ preferences. Many people no longer vote because they believe their ballots have no effect, he said. “We don’t have a democracy. We are pretending democracy. We’re not a democracy,” Duke said, arguing that institutions intended to restrain executive power have failed to perform their constitutional roles effectively.

We don’t have a democracy. We are pretending democracy. We’re not a democracy.

· Donald DukeHe criticized electoral institutions and checks on executive power.
About this summary

Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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