The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has confirmed that Donald Duke meets all criteria to be its 2027 presidential candidate. National Chairman Hakeem Baba-Ahmed stated that Duke formally applied for membership and went through the same screening process as other aspirants. During an interview on Arise Television's Morning Show on Thursday, Baba-Ahmed explained that Duke took part in a consensus-building exercise involving three southern candidates, despite being abroad at the time. The former Cross River State governor joined the meeting online, engaged with other aspirants, and agreed to the process, which the party accepts as valid. "Being absent physically is not in breach of rules or regulations. He joined the meeting online, interacted with the other aspirants, and consented to the process. That is good enough for the party and for the other contestants," Baba-Ahmed said. The PRP chairman emphasized that Duke fulfilled every procedural requirement, reinforcing the party's stance on transparency and fairness in candidate selection. No internal challenge or appeal against Duke's emergence has been reported. The party will proceed with its campaign preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

💡 NaijaBuzz Take

Donald Duke was not present in person for a key stage of the PRP's consensus process, yet the party accepted his online participation as sufficient. The other three southern aspirants took part physically, raising questions about equal conditions for all candidates. If remote involvement is now valid for consensus, the party must clarify whether this sets a precedent for future internal decisions. The acceptance of digital presence without prior rule modification suggests procedural flexibility that could invite scrutiny in contested processes.

💡 NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →