As 2027 Elections Campaign Begins: Issue-Based Politics or Another Jamboree? -By Onyejaka Alexander Arinzechukwu

Nigeria has entered another election season, and with it comes the familiar spectacle of political rallies, colourful posters, elaborate declarations, defections, endorsements, motorcades, campaign songs and promises capable of transforming the country into an earthly paradise.

But beneath the excitement lies a more serious question: will the 2027 election campaigns be about issues, policies and the future of Nigeria, or will they degenerate into another political jamboree in which personalities, ethnic calculations, religious sentiments, money and empty promises overwhelm substantive debate?

The question could hardly be more important.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed January 16, 2027 for the presidential and National Assembly elections, with the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for February 6.

Campaigns have now formally begun, placing the political class under a new obligation: to tell Nigerians not merely who should govern, but why that person should govern, what he or she intends to do, how it will be done, how much it will cost and how citizens will know whether the promises have been fulfilled.

That is the difference between an election and a jamboree.

A jamboree entertains. An election should interrogate.

A jamboree produces noise. Democracy should produce choices.

A jamboree celebrates personalities. Responsible politics examines programmes, competence, character and results.

Nigeria cannot afford another election in which candidates spend months travelling around the country making promises while voters are expected to make decisions largely on the basis of party loyalty, ethnic identity, religious affinity, political sentiment or the ability of a candidate to mobilise crowds.

The country is facing problems too serious for that.

A country under pressure

The 2027 election comes at a difficult moment in Nigeria’s history.

The economy has undergone dramatic reforms. The removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign-exchange regime have fundamentally altered the economic environment. The government argues that these reforms were necessary to restore fiscal stability and attract investment. But millions of Nigerians have experienced the immediate consequences through higher living costs, pressure on household incomes and declining purchasing power. Reuters reports that economic hardship and insecurity remain among the dominant concerns of voters.

The campaign therefore cannot be reduced to the question of whether the reforms were necessary.

The more important questions are: Have the reforms improved the lives of ordinary Nigerians? When will citizens feel the benefits? What further reforms are required? How will government protect the poor during economic transition? How will Nigeria create productive employment rather than merely celebrate economic statistics?

These are campaign questions.

They deserve answers.

The security situation is equally important. Nigerians continue to worry about terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence, separatist agitation and the safety of their farms, roads, schools and businesses.

For a farmer, security is not an abstract policy issue. It determines whether he can plant and harvest.

For a parent, security determines whether a child can safely attend school.

For a businessman, security determines whether goods can move from one part of the country to another.

For a citizen travelling on a highway, security is literally a matter of life and death.

Any presidential campaign that does not provide a detailed and measurable strategy for national security will therefore be avoiding one of the central questions before the Nigerian people.

The economy must move from slogans to specifics

For too long, Nigerian election campaigns have been filled with words such as prosperity, transformation, renewal, empowerment, development, hope and progress.

The problem is not that these words are wrong.

The problem is that they are often undefined.

What exactly does economic transformation mean?

How many jobs will be created?

What sectors will create those jobs?

How will electricity become cheaper and more reliable?

How will manufacturers survive?

How will agriculture become commercially productive?

How will Nigeria reduce dependence on imported goods?

How will government increase domestic production?

How will young Nigerians acquire skills that are relevant to the modern economy?

How will the country attract investment without compromising national interests?

How will government reduce poverty while maintaining fiscal discipline?

These are the questions candidates should answer.

Nigerians do not need another manifesto that promises everything to everybody.

They need a realistic programme.

A serious candidate should be able to tell the electorate: This is where we are; this is where we intend to go; these are the policies we will introduce; this is what they will cost; these are the institutions that will implement them; and this is how you can hold us accountable.

That is issue-based politics.

The cost-of-living question

Perhaps no issue will be more important to the ordinary Nigerian than the cost of living.

Politicians may discuss GDP, foreign reserves, debt ratios, investment inflows and government revenue. These indicators matter. But the ordinary citizen ultimately asks a simpler question:

Can I afford to live?

Can I buy food?

Can I pay rent?

Can I afford school fees?

Can I afford transportation?

Can I access healthcare?

Can I keep my business alive?

Can my salary meet my family’s basic needs?

The disconnect between macroeconomic statistics and household experience may become one of the defining issues of the 2027 campaign. Reuters reports that although the government’s reforms have attracted investor interest and sought to restore economic credibility, many households continue to experience severe hardship.

Candidates should therefore be compelled to explain not just how they will grow the economy, but how economic growth will translate into improved living standards.

Nigeria has had periods of impressive economic growth that did not necessarily translate into prosperity for the majority.

Growth without inclusion is inadequate.

Investment without jobs is inadequate.

Revenue without better public services is inadequate.

A stronger naira without stronger production is unsustainable.

And government programmes without measurable outcomes are simply political announcements.

Education: the neglected election issue

Another subject that deserves greater prominence is education.

Nigeria cannot become a globally competitive economy while millions of young people pass through an education system that is inadequately funded, poorly equipped or disconnected from the requirements of the modern labour market.

The 2027 campaign should force candidates to explain what they intend to do about primary education, secondary education, universities, polytechnics, vocational institutions and technical training.

The question should not merely be: How much will you spend on education?

It should be:

What kind of Nigerian will the education system produce?

A young person leaving school should possess knowledge, critical-thinking ability, digital skills, communication skills and practical competence.

Nigeria needs to stop treating education merely as a social service and begin treating it as a strategic investment in national productivity.

The political parties should tell Nigerians exactly how they intend to address teacher quality, school infrastructure, curriculum reform, university funding, technical education, research and the digital economy.

If candidates cannot articulate their education policy, they should not be allowed to hide behind colourful rallies and emotional speeches.

Healthcare and human development

Healthcare should also occupy a central place in the campaign.

Nigerians continue to face the burden of expensive medical treatment, inadequate healthcare facilities and the migration of medical professionals.

The question is not simply whether government will build more hospitals.

How will existing hospitals function?

How will doctors and nurses be retained?

How will primary healthcare be strengthened?

How will poor families access treatment without catastrophic financial consequences?

How will Nigeria develop a healthcare system capable of serving a population that is growing rapidly?

These are issues that affect every Nigerian family.

Yet they are often pushed aside during campaigns by political drama.

The danger of identity politics

Nigeria’s diversity is a strength, but politicians have repeatedly demonstrated the capacity to manipulate identity for electoral advantage.

Ethnicity, religion and regional origin are legitimate components of Nigeria’s political conversation. Citizens have every right to consider representation and inclusion.

The danger arises when identity replaces competence.

A candidate should not be supported simply because he comes from one’s ethnic group.

A candidate should not be rejected simply because he comes from another region.

A candidate should not receive automatic support because he shares one’s religion.

Nigeria’s presidency is too important to become a prize in a contest of ethnic arithmetic.

The country needs a president who can govern Nigerians from all regions, religions and ethnic groups.

Recent efforts by Muslim and Christian leaders to promote religious harmony ahead of the 2027 election are a reminder of how important responsible political rhetoric will be as campaigns intensify.

Political leaders should therefore resist the temptation to turn legitimate differences into instruments of hatred.

Nigeria has suffered enough from politics that makes citizens suspicious of one another.

The opposition must also come with ideas

It would be easy to make the 2027 election solely a referendum on the performance of the incumbent administration.

That would be insufficient.

An opposition candidate does not become credible merely because voters are unhappy with the government in power.

He must demonstrate that he can do better.

The opposition must therefore answer the same difficult questions it is asking the government.

What would it do differently?

What policies would it retain?

Which policies would it reverse?

What would replace them?

How would it finance its programmes?

How would it address insecurity?

How would it manage public debt?

How would it create jobs?

How would it improve power supply?

How would it strengthen institutions?

How would it fight corruption?

How would it reform the civil service?

How would it decentralise governance where necessary?

These questions cannot be answered with the familiar language of “we will do better.”

The electorate deserves details.

Indeed, the fragmentation of the opposition makes this even more important. Current reporting indicates that President Bola Tinubu faces numerous challengers, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, while opposition fragmentation remains a major factor in the contest.

If opposition parties are serious about replacing the ruling party, they must offer voters more than an anti-incumbency coalition.

They must offer a governing alternative.

The politics of defections

Another feature of Nigerian politics that could overshadow the 2027 campaign is the continuing movement of politicians from one party to another.

Defection has become so normal in Nigerian politics that it is sometimes difficult to determine whether political parties have ideological identities at all.

Politicians move from one party to another in search of advantage. Some describe the movement as political realignment. Others call it national interest.

But the electorate is entitled to ask:

What changed?

Did the politician’s ideology change?

Did his economic philosophy change?

Did his understanding of governance change?

Did his political principles change?

Or did his political calculation change?

Party switching is not necessarily wrong. Political alliances evolve in democracies. But excessive political mobility without ideological explanation contributes to public cynicism.

It reinforces the belief that politicians are primarily interested in power rather than policy.

That perception is dangerous.

The jamboree mentality

The Nigerian political jamboree has a recognisable pattern.

A politician declares his intention to contest.

Supporters organise a massive rally.

Traditional rulers appear.

Religious leaders offer prayers.

Musicians perform.

Political associates deliver emotional speeches.

The candidate speaks for an hour.

The crowd cheers.

There are promises of roads, jobs, schools, hospitals, industries and security.

Then another rally follows.

And another.

Before long, the entire country becomes a stage.

But somewhere in the noise, the most important question disappears:

What exactly is the candidate proposing?

A large crowd is not evidence of competence.

A powerful speech is not a policy document.

A sophisticated campaign poster is not a development plan.

A long convoy is not leadership.

An endorsement by influential individuals is not a substitute for public scrutiny.

And the ability to mobilise money is not proof that a candidate understands governance.

Nigeria must grow beyond this.

What an issue-based campaign should look like

An issue-based campaign should contain several basic elements.

First, every presidential candidate should publish a detailed manifesto that ordinary citizens can understand.

Second, candidates should identify measurable targets.

If a candidate promises to create millions of jobs, Nigerians should know how those jobs will be created.

If a candidate promises to improve electricity, citizens should know the target for generation, transmission and distribution.

If a candidate promises to reduce poverty, there should be a clear strategy and measurable indicators.

Third, candidates should participate in serious debates.

The Nigerian electorate deserves to see presidential candidates questioned directly and challenged intelligently.

Debates should not become theatrical performances. They should be examinations.

Candidates should be asked the same questions and required to explain their differences.

Fourth, the media must change its approach.

Political journalism should go beyond reporting who visited whom, who defected to which party, who received an endorsement and who attended which rally.

The media should examine promises.

If a candidate says he will spend a certain amount on infrastructure, journalists should ask where the money will come from.

If another promises to create jobs, journalists should ask how.

If another promises to reduce taxes, journalists should ask how government revenue will be protected.

The media must become an accountability institution before, during and after the election.

Voters also have responsibilities

Politicians are not the only problem.

The electorate also has responsibilities.

A democracy cannot become issue-based if voters reward politicians for jamboree politics.

If voters demand money before attending rallies, politicians will provide money.

If voters reward ethnic propaganda, politicians will produce ethnic propaganda.

If voters reward religious manipulation, politicians will exploit religion.

If voters demand competence, candidates will be forced to demonstrate competence.

The Nigerian voter must therefore become more sophisticated.

The question at the next election should not simply be:

“Where is he from?”

It should be:

“What can he do?”

Not:

“Which party is he contesting under?”

But:

“What does the party stand for?”

Not:

“How much did he give us?”

But:

“What will his government do for the country?”

This is how democracy matures.

The role of young Nigerians

Young Nigerians will be particularly important in 2027.

They constitute a significant portion of the electorate and are among those most affected by unemployment, inflation, insecurity, inadequate infrastructure and the search for opportunities.

Yet young Nigerians must resist the temptation to become merely the foot soldiers of political campaigns.

They should demand representation, but representation alone is not enough.

They should demand policies.

They should ask candidates how they will create an economy in which young people can build businesses, acquire homes, develop careers and live with dignity.

The youth should not merely fill campaign grounds.

They should fill policy conversations.

They should be asking the questions.

They should be scrutinising manifestos.

They should fact-check claims.

They should challenge candidates online and offline.

Most importantly, they should vote.

Democracy cannot survive political apathy

One of the greatest dangers facing Nigerian democracy is not only electoral malpractice.

It is voter apathy.

When citizens become convinced that elections do not matter, they withdraw.

When they withdraw, organised political interests become disproportionately powerful.

And when citizens stop participating, democracy becomes vulnerable to manipulation.

The 2027 election must therefore be treated as more than a contest among political elites.

It is a contest over the direction of Nigeria.

The choice is not simply between candidates.

It is between competing visions of the country.

That is why the campaign matters.

The incumbent must defend his record

For President Bola Tinubu, the 2027 election will inevitably be a referendum on his administration’s record.

The administration can point to reforms and argue that difficult decisions were necessary to repair structural weaknesses in the Nigerian economy. Its opponents, however, can point to hardship, insecurity and the difficulty many households continue to experience.

That debate is legitimate.

But it must be conducted with evidence.

The president should tell Nigerians what his administration has achieved, what remains unfinished and what he intends to do differently in a second term.

The opposition should scrutinise those claims and present alternatives.

That is democracy.

The electorate should then decide.

No candidate should be above scrutiny

One disturbing tendency in Nigerian politics is the creation of political personalities who are treated almost as infallible.

Supporters excuse everything.

Critics condemn everything.

Neither approach is helpful.

Every candidate should be examined fairly.

His record should be investigated.

His associates should be examined.

His finances should be scrutinised within the law.

His public statements should be tested.

His policy proposals should be challenged.

His past promises should be compared with his achievements.

The standard should apply equally to everybody.

Nigeria does not need political saints.

It needs competent public servants.

The real campaign should be about the Nigerian future

The 2027 election should ultimately answer a fundamental question:

What kind of Nigeria do we want by 2031?

Do we want a country that exports raw materials and imports finished products?

Or a country that manufactures competitively?

Do we want an economy in which young people search endlessly for jobs?

Or one that creates opportunities?

Do we want a nation where parents fear sending their children to school?

Or one where education is secure and accessible?

Do we want citizens to spend their lives navigating government bureaucracy?

Or a modern state that delivers services efficiently?

Do we want politics dominated by ethnic and religious calculations?

Or a political culture built around competence and national interest?

These are the questions that should dominate the 2027 campaign.

Not the size of campaign crowds.

Not the number of posters.

Not the number of endorsements.

Not the length of motorcades.

Not the volume of political insults.

From jamboree to accountability

There is nothing inherently wrong with political rallies.

Democracy needs mobilisation.

Candidates need to communicate with voters.

Political parties need to organise.

But rallies should be the conclusion of political persuasion, not its substitute.

A candidate should be able to walk into a hall with economists, security experts, farmers, teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs, students, workers and journalists and defend his programme under questioning.

That is the campaign Nigeria needs.

The country should demand less entertainment and more examination.

Less personality cult and more policy.

Less propaganda and more evidence.

Less ethnic mobilisation and more national vision.

Less distribution of political gifts and more discussion of public goods.

Less noise and more substance.

The 2027 election campaign has begun at a moment when Nigerians are asking profound questions about the direction of their country. International reporting already identifies economic hardship and insecurity as central concerns, while political analysts point to the fragmentation of the opposition as an important feature of the contest.

The responsibility now rests on everyone: political parties, candidates, the media, civil society and, most importantly, the electorate.

Nigeria cannot afford to spend the next several months dancing around political stages only to wake up after the election and discover that the difficult questions were never answered.

The campaign season should not be a carnival of promises.

It should be a national examination.

Candidates should come prepared to defend their records, explain their policies, disclose their priorities and submit themselves to scrutiny.

And voters should be prepared to listen, question, compare and decide.

If the 2027 elections become another jamboree, Nigeria will have wasted another opportunity.

But if the campaigns become genuinely issue-based, they can do something far more important than produce winners and losers.

They can produce an informed electorate.

They can force political parties to develop serious programmes.

They can deepen democratic accountability.

And perhaps, for once, Nigeria can move from the politics of who gets power to the politics of what power will be used to accomplish.

That is the real test of 2027.

Issue-based politics or another jamboree?

The choice, ultimately, belongs not only to the politicians.

It belongs to Nigerians.