Donald Duke For 2007 Presidency?

Duke, has no doubt achieved a lot, since he mounted the saddle of governorship in Cross River State--the list of his achievement stretches up like a tall pole.I believe he deserves a shot at presidency!

i'm not doubting that roads are being tarred. i lived in calabar for 24 years so i know the city, the government and its people extremely well. i can tell you were every pothole is in calabar ,i can tell you every joint and the names and phone numbers of their owners. \i have worked with the commissioners there , the first lady and a lot of othe rprivate agencies. so i know the city well. Donald has cleaned up the city no doubt and he has given it a new face, but what about the poor man on the streets.

what i'm saying is  that there is no viable source of economic growth for the city. nothing is presently on ground to relieve the poor mans needs. pineapple project didnt take off, import duty free port didnt last. Tourism is a major boost only during his splendid xmas festival. Tinapa check from elemelu was an initial 5 billion. not 25 billion. 25 billion is the whole sum needed. 5 billion is what sam anani and donald duke have been chasing for almost 4 years. And to get that 5 billion he had to mortgage civil servants salaries for a certain period. So what exactly has he done in 8 years to relieve the poor man.
what exactly has he done except parties, tar roads and build the cattle ranch. remenber he has stayed there for 8years. all that he has done with effective planning could have been done in 2 years.

where is the economic growth? Calabar is still a university town. It just booms during xmas. so don't be decieved

what if tinapa doesn't take off as expected. what happens to mortgaged civil servant salaries.i respect his vision but can he deliver the right economic reforms apart from tourism.

Nightrider, tell us what your own governor, or anyone else has done.  Which salary was mortgaged?  And how come no salary is owed?  I work in a civil-service organization here in Calabar.  No one has been owed a dime.  That u are no more in Calabar is not in doubt.  And that the town is a University town isn't in doubt as well.  But do u know that every town must have a unique landmark that stands it out?  Which would u prefer?  A town that has no educational institution or one that has 2 universities?  Come on, lets talk like reasonable people.  Give credit to whom it is due.  If u give Duke all your thumbs down, what of Odili, Attah, Alamiesigha and Igbinedion?  What is their comparative take-home from the fed gov and what have they to show?  Do u think that in the present world, a govt wouldd stoop to give people on d streets food hand-outs?  The essence of governance is to provide basic infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity.  The individual them finds the means to assist himself grow, using these things.  That, duke has done.  

From your tone, its like u handled a job that u xpected tons of profit from, for the state gov, which did not materialize as u thought.  You are completely biased in your analysis because if u check the poll result up, over 94% of the people cannot b wrong.  You have d right to your say, but d majority in any democracy always has its way.  I would fight to defend your right to speak your mind, even when it is apparent that you are far from d truth, and I can never ever agree with u on this.

Duke has done better than any other past or present governor in Nigeria.  His record can only b comparable to Lateef Jakande in Lagos (2nd republic) given the lean resources at his disposal.  Duke is very good.  Thats a fact that can't be distorted by anyone today, or tomorrow.

Having Donal Duke has the president of Nigeria is a reality we just might witness in this coming elaction.One of today's paper say that he is favoured by the federal governbemnt and the PDP. Like I said in another thread, the people who opposed Obasanjo and expect to have a neutral response are mistaken.He will probabaly concentrate his attention on opposing them with the instrumentality of the state ( notice how some ministers and key people in government are being moved) The key to the success that this government enjoyed was with the economic team and the Obasabajo that people know will see to it that these other men (IBB,Atiku, BUhari) do not get there.

My point once again:Danlad Duke has a very bright chance.Really, he is the kind of person one will be proud to have has a president. fair (make that very very fair in consideration of the status quo) visionary and no matter the vive he may have had,he is far better than most who have occupied that place.He has proven with Obudu and Tinapa that he can do something worthwhile-not just spend money and annoucing pellow Nigerians!

Nigeria is changing, slowly but steadily and I believe Donald Duke may be next president of Nigeria. I have been saying for the last 15 months that Duke is the man Nigeria needs so I was very happy whenI joined this forum and read you guys feels the same way. Majority of Nigerians I believe will vote for Duke instead of any other candidate and I believe OBJ may also secretly have him as his chosen successor becuase he (OBJ) is said to have been so impressed by Duke´s vision and achievements over the last 7 years.

So many other Nigerians and even the media are beginning to see Duke as the best for President. See one poll here at Nigeriavillagesquare (http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/content/view/3130/55/) where Duke won hands down out of 33 other candidates including Okonjo Iweala. He won 31% which is an amazingly good figure given there were 33 candidates which splits and thinly spreads the vote but in reality there won´t be that many (especially good alternative candidates like Okonjo-Iweala ) so he would get probaly 60 or 70% of the vote. See this article also on the winning team of Duke and Ribadu: http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/content/view/3097/55/

The question now is what are we will to do to make a Duke Presidency a reality. I am prepared to donate money to a campaign geared towards mobilising support for Duke. I read something about ´Friends of Donald Duke´running such a campaign, including sending text messages to mobile phones. I am seriously seeking an pro Duke organisation I can join or support; let that be my own small way of contributing to the development of Nigeria because I believe he will take Nigeria to the next level.

Are you guys up for an internet campaign? There have been many against and in favour of IBB, but why don´t we start one for Duke?

Seun, are you impressed by Obasanjo when he makes a speech? Have you ever seen him make a serious speech without reading every single word at a very boring and slow pace? I watched Bill Clinton deliver an hour long speech without any notes a couple of years ago, his command of world and general knowledge was amazing and he was given a huge standing ovation when he finshed. That is the sort of president I want for Nigeria.

In my view there is no polician in Nigeria better than Duke who can represent the country in an intelligent, articulate and captivating manner.

Yes.  I was one of his most faithful supporters before the third term project reared its ugly head.

I have told you this man is a 'socialist'. He supports government spending rather than proper privatization:
Source: http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=50036

If elected as president, he'll be the sort of president whose programmes will be supported by the economically illiterate masses who don't fully understand the consequences?  The most dangerous kind of leader? 

ALL WE ARE SAYIIIIIING. GIVE US DONALD!

SHORT AND SIMPLE.

The universities are not in need of funding. They are in need of privatization. Pouring more money into failed government projects like NEPA, NITEL and many of these universities is like pouring more water into a basket!

Seun, universities in the UK, US and other developed countries are funded by the governments. The US governments funded univeristies to the tune of $26 billiion in 2004. Yes universities in the developed countries are less dependent on government funds because they generate income from research but until Nigeria reaches that stage the government needs to continue funding universities. There are already private univeristies and yes there should be more funding of the the state and federal universities from the private sector but universities should never be totally privatised like you would NEPA, NITEL etc. because they are not companies.

All good governments the world over provide funding for universities because the output (graduates) directly affect the economy and general development of the nation. You can´t privatise everything,  would you privatise the military?

sEUN, AM SURPRISED BY YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS nIGERIA.  I had used to think that you are one hec of a Nigerian, desirous to make a change and lead the way.  Quite frankly, I feel very sad and disappointed that a young mind such as u, can be opposed to proper funding for our University system, considering the very chaotic nature the system has deteriorated into.  Tony Blair, the serving Prime Minister of Britain was asked by news hounds, to name three outstanding things he would be willing to pursue if elected Prime Minister, way back.  He said 1, Education.  2. Education and 3. More education!  This is Britain, of all places, and analysts say this statement was the single most powerful and compelling reason why Tony Blair's Labour Party swept the polls.   You may recall that the UK is by every inch, a developed territory all-round.  Now compare that to nigeria, where 70% of the population is illiterate.  I bet you, 80% of Nigeria's problem would be solved if 80% of the population is literate.  And if you listen to great minds like Wole Soyinka, Gani Fawehinmi & co, they had said way back that the educational system in Nigeria should be declared a disaster area, the system shut down for at least 5 years for complete reengineering and surgical operation.  This radical solution though impracticable, was a pointer to the seriousness that these great compatroits attach to education.  If you have ever taken a stroll to any of the dormitories of any of the nation's higher institutions in the recent past, am sure the stench that u would have felt, oozing out of those pigstays would have compelled you to think twice before standing up against increased funding for education.  The UNESCO recommends a minimum of 25% of the annual budget of countries to be reserved for education.  In Nigeria, that sector get about 3% and sometimes less.  Don't you feel this is a disaster?  Talk of privatization and I want to ask, how many of today's so-called leaders ever paid school fees or attended private schools when they were young?  I have statistics to show that a greater majority of them, including OBJ went to school on scholarship up to Sandhurst! 

You see, every society gets what it deserves.  A society that pays lip service to education, promotes mediocrity against excellence, lives on false hopes, refuses to learn from past mistakes, ignores the children and youth, believes in the lure of lucre, pretends as if nothing is wrong among others, would always reap the fruits of street children, hostage-takers, area boys, dysfunctional unemployment, increased crime wave, emergence of hired killers, arsonists, child-traffickers, drug abusers, oil-pipeline bunkerers, MEND militants, OPC militants etc.

An educated mind is a liberated mind.  Donald Duke is the polished gentleman that we see today because he was exposed to the best of educational rudimentation, in an elite school deviod of excessive strike actions and stechy dormitories.  He knows his onions and so, has the best chance of breaking Nigeria away from the vicious cycle of imbecile senile leaders.

For those who say they haven't heard Donald Duke speak, I want to add that they have missed a great deal. One can only compare his power of oratory in English, command of the language, flair and vocal presence to that of few recent world leaders like Bill Clinton.  He delivers most of his speeches extempore and has a great depth of knowledge on any matter he sets to speak on.  I have said before, Donald Duke would be one major step forward for Nigeria, if he is elected President come 2007.  I see no alternative anywhere.

I hope Donald Duke is kidding about his plan to spend 1 billion dollars annually on Nigerian Universities. That is bad policy. With the current situation on the ground, Donal Duke should focus on free/reduced cost education to SS3. If you give hand outs to Universities, the graduates would just leave to work at British and American tech firms (see: America and Britain don't produce enough science majors) like they have been doing for decades now.

1) The priority of any sensible Presidential candidate would be to ensure that there is constant electricity in the country. (If you need to triple the current amount given to PHNC, do it! Just make sure the minister of Energy is held accountable)

2) Increase availability of safe water to all communities to reduce the amount of resources that are wasted treating easily preventable water-born illness.

3) Completion of a rail road that links Lagos to the North East and another rail road that links Port Harcort and Enugu to the North West. This would form a sort of "X" across the country and would make it easier for traders to sell their wares in all parts of the country. I will also love to get a steady supply of Yogurt from Abuja without having to take a trip from Lagos to Abuja. 

4) Increase funding of police in commercial centers (they seem to have the higher crime rates) to fight crime, corruption by lower level officials and keep the peace.

5) Lastly, create an independent anti-corruption agency that would chaired by respectable people from West Africa. Also a great way to promote relations with our nations and hopefully get them to agree to building a rail road that links all western African countries.

That is all that is needed.

As much as I like social-capitalist policy, the Nigerian institions are much too young to be able to support such a system.

@ Afeni I have always followed your posting on this issue and I have liked every post you made,  guy i am really having a problem with this one.

Do u know that when he (Duke) was campagning he did not mention that he was going to give good Roads, Portable water and Electricity to cross river state?

When asked in an interview by a journalist he said this is the Idea "Every Good Government must provide that.'' thats to say u don't need to campaign with that if u are a governor in a rich country like nigeria and u could not do anything to bring good Road, Water and Electryicity to your people then u should be shoot dead
Then he said ''i always mension Tourism do u thin i can call this place a tourist center without clean water, good road and constant power?"

He has a vision He can deliver thats all is 1b$ too big to give to universities in this country? Go to Ghana and see the standards public schools has set for private schools i believe the govt can set a standard for the private industy to follow as he has done for calabar.

Believe me calabar is the fastest developing city in Nigeria go anb see 4 your self. I have been there twise. so many new Hotels, resturants, good roads etc check the state site to see 4 yourself

He is My president.

@ Afeni He He is one of the state governors that paid for the gs project and now Obudu enjoys constant powersupply and he has also connected most other villages arround obudu. and as for water u use electronic card to pay for water bill

Donald Duke has done great. Look this guy is much much better than all the aspirants that have come out so far. he has so many things going for him. He's young, educated and has performed ie tested. I mean what else do you need in a leader. Just check out Donald Duke as President surrounded by young minds like Soludo, Iweala, Akunyili, El-Rufai, Utomi running the Govt. I tell you Nigeria will be Great.

Meanwhile Rythm FM is conducting an opinion poll for a presidential candidate. It started a week ago to end this sunday(June 11th) and the result of the ten most nominated candidates will be announced on monday, June 12th. You can nominate a candidate by texting the name of the candidate to 333 33 on Vmobile and MTN network.
Lets nominate Donald Duke.