Donald Duke Set To Declare Bid For 2011 Presidential Election

PHOTO: MR. DONALD DUKE.

San Francisco March 06, (THEWILL) – Former governor of Cross River State Mr. Donald Duke is set to formally declare his intention to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2011 elections, according to a source close to the former governor.

Donald was guest at an interactive session at the Congress Hall, Trade Union Centre, in Central London on Friday, March 05, 2010, where he spoke about his desire to contest for the office, if Nigerians are willing to support his candidacy. The event was hosted by Donald's friends; Wale Kalejaiye, Dr. Bayo Adekpetun and Dr.Yemi Ogunbiyi amongst others.

The former governor had formally declared his bid during the 2007 presidential election but the Obasanjo administration forced him to step aside after it ruled that the PDP’s Presidential ticket was going to the North.

It is not clear whether Donald would contest under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party that he won his state’s governship election on, but pundits expect him to launch his campaign using another platform to avoid being checkmated by PDP hawks who have already announced that the north would produce its presidential candidate for that election.

The saxophone playing Donald Duke is very popular amongst Nigerian eligible voters who want change in the country. Some pundits have likened him to United States President Barack Obama and say he can attract a new generation of voters to the polls that will give him victory in a free and fair election.

Nigeria is currently in political crisis due to a power tussle between a cabal using an obviously incapacitated President Umaru Yar’Adua as a pawn in its power game to checkmate Nigerian Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Nigerian pro-democracy activists, The Arewa Consultative Forum, some federal legislators, former president Olusegun Obasanjo and The United States government have consistently criticized the cabal for their selfish actions warning that it may derail the country’s democracy.