The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has cleared a former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Duke’s clearance followed the conclusion of a review of the recently held primaries by the party’s Primaries Appeal Committee and the subsequent approval of the committee’s report by the NWC.
Duke secured the ticket after competitive internal processes and an appeal review concluded by the party’s leadership, where he defeated other key contenders, including technocrat Dr. Nnaoke Ufere and former AAC candidate Yakubu Mohammed Kingsley.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Muhammed Ishaq, announced on Saturday in Abuja that the NWC also upheld other election outcomes, including governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly primaries.
Ishaq noted that all other candidates had been cleared to contest the 2027 general elections, with the sole exception of the Tarauni Federal Constituency in Kano, where the primary election was nullified.
According to Ishaq, the party is set to field a total of 420 candidates across all elective positions in the upcoming polls.
“In line with our commitment to active participation in the electoral process, the PRP is proud to field a total of 420 candidates across all positions in the 2027 general elections.”
This nomination marks the latest chapter in Duke’s recurring presidential ambitions. He initially announced a run for the presidency under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007 to succeed Olusegun Obasanjo, but he stepped aside in favour of the eventual winner, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, following internal party zoning.
Duke later defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ahead of the 2019 general elections. He secured the party’s presidential ticket after a protracted legal battle with former Minister of Information Jerry Gana. Despite the momentum, the bid struggled to break through the deeply entrenched APC-PDP bipartisan structure.
After briefly returning to the PDP in 2021, Duke has now shifted to the Peoples Redemption Party for another run at presidency.