Donald Duke, presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), has said Nigerians were better off in 1999 than they are today, despite more than two decades of constitutional democracy.

Duke, a former governor of Cross River State, made the remark during an interview on the Policy Without Politics (PWP) podcast on Friday, with a clip of the interview circulating on Sunday.

The former governor questioned the state of Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that the country has not recorded the level of progress expected since the return to civilian rule in 1999.

According to him, Nigerians enjoyed better living conditions and greater optimism at the beginning of the Fourth Republic than they do today.

Duke’s comments come amid growing concerns over economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity and the rising cost of living in the country.