Former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke has criticised opposition politicians supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, comparing the emerging political alliances to the controversial transition programme of former military ruler General Sani Abacha.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Duke warns that the growing support for Tinubu among opposition figures could weaken political competition ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election.
He recalls the expression “five leprous fingers,” used to describe the five political parties that endorsed Abacha’s ambition to become a civilian president in the 1990s.
Duke says the current political alignment reminds him of that period, expressing concern that Nigeria could face serious consequences if political actors fail to address the country’s challenges.
The five parties associated with Abacha’s transition programme were the United Nigeria Congress Party, National Centre Party of Nigeria, Democratic Party of Nigeria, Grassroots Democratic Movement and Congress for National Consensus.
Abacha’s transition programme ended following his death in June 1998. Nigeria subsequently returned to civilian democratic rule in May 1999 under President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Duke’s comments come as political figures and groups begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections, with some opposition politicians openly expressing support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Beyond the political alliances, the former governor also criticises the federal government’s economic policies, arguing that greater attention should be paid to production, investment and job creation.
He questions the impact of high interest rates on businesses, saying expensive borrowing makes it difficult for companies to expand and employ more Nigerians.
Duke also identifies high energy and fuel costs as major contributors to inflation, arguing that reducing production expenses could ease pressure on households and businesses.
He further challenges the government’s emphasis on revenue generation, insisting that economic growth should remain central to fiscal policy.
On his priorities if elected president, Duke identifies energy, healthcare, education, infrastructure and improved productivity as areas requiring urgent attention.
He says his approach would focus on reducing the costs that erode workers’ earnings rather than making immediate promises of salary increases.
Duke also argues that limited access to credit and the rising cost of living are restricting the ability of Nigerians to work, invest and improve their economic circumstances.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the comments add to the political debate surrounding opposition unity, economic management and the future of democratic competition ahead of the 2027 general election.
Faisal Maina Arrested in Abuja
Faisal Maina, son of former Pension Reform Task Team chairman Abdulrasheed Maina, has reportedly been arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS, six years after fleeing prosecution on money laundering charges.
According to TheCable, DSS operatives arrested Faisal in the Karsana area of Abuja following intelligence suggesting that he had secretly returned to Nigeria.
A source quoted by the publication said the security operatives subsequently handed him over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further action.
Faisal had been on the run since 2020, when the EFCC arraigned him on three counts bordering on money laundering. Although he was granted bail, he reportedly breached his bail conditions and left the country.
His trial subsequently continued in his absence, culminating in his conviction by the Federal High Court in Abuja in October 2021.
The court sentenced him to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty of the money laundering charges.
In its judgment, the court held that the EFCC had established that Faisal operated a fictitious United Bank for Africa account allegedly used in connection with the laundering of 58.1 million naira linked to his father.
According to the court’s findings, the funds were deposited into an account operated in the name of “Alhaji Faisal Farm 2” and subsequently withdrawn by Faisal and his father between October 2013 and June 2019.
However, in November 2022, the Court of Appeal upheld Faisal’s conviction but reduced his prison sentence from 14 years to seven years.
The appellate court held that the trial court should not have imposed the maximum sentence on a first-time offender.
Faisal’s reported arrest comes against the background of his father’s own legal troubles involving the misappropriation and laundering of pension funds.
Abdulrasheed Maina, who headed the now-defunct Pension Reform Task Team, served an eight-year prison sentence at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja following his conviction in connection with the laundering of two billion naira in pension funds.
He was released earlier this year, according to the report, but has since been declared wanted in connection with an alleged case of receiving stolen property.
The reported arrest of Faisal could mark a significant development in the long-running legal proceedings against the former pension task team chairman’s son.
However, further official confirmation from the relevant security and anti-graft agencies would be needed to establish the details of his arrest and the next steps in the enforcement of his conviction.
