Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has claimed that Nigerians were better off economically in 1999 than they are today, arguing that the country has become poorer despite more than two decades of uninterrupted democratic rule.
Duke, a former governor of Cross River State, made the remarks during an interview on the Policy Without Politics podcast.
Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999 after years of military government, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo succeeding the then Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.
However, Duke argued that the country had failed to achieve meaningful economic progress despite its growing population and increasing budgetary allocations.
“We’re really not in a democracy. It’s a facade. And with each cycle, we get poorer,” he said.
The former governor added that Nigerians were better off in 1999 because the cost of living was more affordable at the time.
“I can say to you very clearly that in 1999, the people were better off than they are today, in 2026. They were much better off. The country was more affordable,” Duke said.
He also compared Nigeria’s current economic position with the country’s situation during the administration of former President Shehu Shagari in the early 1980s.
According to Duke, Nigeria’s annual budget during that period averaged about $25 billion when the country’s population was approximately 70 million.
He argued that despite Nigeria’s population having grown significantly, its budget remained roughly the same when measured in dollar terms.
“Today, our population is anywhere between 200 and 250 million. We don’t know. But our budget is still hovering around $25 billion,” he said.
Duke attributed the apparent increase in Nigeria’s budgetary figures in naira to currency devaluation, arguing that the country had not experienced sufficient real economic growth.
He further linked insecurity, including insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, to economic hardship.
The PRP candidate said the primary responsibility of government should be to create a safe and orderly environment where citizens can work and become productive.
“The essence of having a government in place is to ensure the optimal productivity of citizens within a safe and orderly environment,” he said.
Duke also criticised the use of foreign reserves as a major measure of economic progress, arguing that the number of productive citizens should receive greater attention.
“Let’s measure the value of our economy by the number of people who are working,” he said.
He added that government policies, including those relating to education, should ultimately focus on improving the productivity and economic contribution of Nigerians.
