Presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has warned that the gradual disappearance of Nigeria’s middle class is a sign of worsening economic conditions, poverty and insecurity across the country.
Speaking during an interview, the former Cross River State governor said many Nigerians regarded as middle class were now living from one paycheck to another and remained vulnerable to financial shocks.
“The so-called middle class does not really exist anymore. Many of those we call middle class are only surviving from day-to-day. Let there be one serious emergency and they crumble,” Duke said.
He attributed the situation to shrinking business opportunities, rising unemployment and population growth, which he said the economy has struggled to accommodate.
According to him, Nigeria’s widening wealth gap reflects the inability of the economy to provide a decent standard of living for the majority of citizens.
“You have perhaps one per cent who are genuinely wealthy and then a huge number of people struggling around or below the poverty line,” he said.
Duke said the country’s challenges influenced his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election, stressing that urgent action was required to reverse the current trend.
“I talk about the urgency of now because I don’t think we can go on like this for another four years,” he stated.
The PRP candidate said his presidential ambition was motivated by a desire to move beyond criticism and contribute solutions to Nigeria’s economic and social problems.
