•PRP presidential candidate, Donald Duke

Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate Donald Duke has said Nigerians were better off in 1999 than they are today, arguing that 26 years of constitutional democracy have failed to deliver meaningful economic improvement.

Duke, a former Cross River State governor, made the assessment during an interview on the Policy Without Politics podcast, a clip of which circulated on Sunday.

Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999 after years of military government, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo taking over from the then Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The country has since had six civilian presidents, with President Bola Tinubu currently seeking re-election.

However, Duke argued that the country had become poorer despite population growth and larger nominal budgets, describing the democratic system as a façade.“We’re really not in a democracy. It’s a facade. And with each cycle, we get poorer,” he said.

“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.”

Obidient Connect Texas has announced a grand rally in Houston on October 10, 2026.

The rally scheduled to hold at 16756 Westheimer Parkway, (George Bush Park) Houston, Texas at 12 noon, will serve as a major mobilisation platform to accelerate registration on ObidientConnect.com, expand grassroots organisation, and encourage lawful diaspora contributions in support of citizen-led electoral infrastructure ahead of Nigeria’s presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

Leader of Obidient Connect Texas, Prof. Sam Osemene, emphasised that the rally is aimed at amplifying the message of Obidient Connect among Obidients and other well-meaning Nigerians across the state.

Osemene described the forthcoming event as a critical step in translating diaspora passion into structured action.

“The successful inauguration of our leadership has given us a solid foundation. Now we must move from structure to scale,” Prof. Osemene said.

The Houston rally on October 10 is designed to bring together Nigerians in Texas to fully adopt Obidient Connect, to register, and make lawful contributions that will help build the organisational capacity needed across Nigeria’s 176,864 polling units.

“Our goal is simple but urgent – to ensure that the will of the people is not only expressed but protected and counted on 16 January 2027.

This platform gives us the tools to organise properly, and the Houston rally is our opportunity to drive mass adoption and sustained support from the diaspora.”

,

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has unveiled its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2027 general elections across 28 states.

The party announced the candidates in a statement on Friday, highlighting its commitment to presenting what it described as credible leadership and a viable alternative for Nigerians.

Among the candidates are Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour for Lagos State, Isa Mohammed Ashiru for Kaduna, Great Ogboru in Delta, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita in Katsina and Abubakar Malami in Kebbi.

The party also fielded candidates in several other states, including Adamawa, Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Ogun, Plateau and Zamfara.

The party said the candidates would carry its banner and its commitment to offering Nigerians credible leadership and a “real alternative” in the elections.