Urging Fellow Nigerians To Vote For Prosperity, Not Primordial Sentiments, Come 2027 -By Isaac Asabor

Nigeria is once again approaching another defining political moment. Although the 2027 presidential and general elections are still some months away, the familiar drums of ethnic nationalism, religious mobilization and partisan fanaticism have already begun to echo across the country’s political landscape. The usual calculations are being made. Power rotation is being debated. Regional entitlement is being canvassed. Religious identities are once again being weaponized. Political parties are busy assembling loyal foot soldiers who are expected to defend candidates, often without questioning their competence or vision. Sadly, this is the same cycle Nigerians have witnessed repeatedly since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

The unfortunate reality is that while politicians exploit these primordial sentiments to win elections, not a few Nigerians are left to grapple with the harsh consequences of poor governance. Elections come and go. Governments change. Political parties celebrate victories. Yet the average citizen continues to struggle under the weight of rising inflation, a weakening currency, unemployment, insecurity, collapsing infrastructure and an ever-increasing cost of living.

This raises a fundamental question: “What exactly have Nigerians gained from voting along ethnic, religious or party lines?” The answer is painfully obvious. The ordinary Nigerian has gained very little.

Given the foregoing view, it is expedient to opine that the trader in Onitsha worries about the rising cost of transporting goods just as much as the trader in Kano. The farmer in Benue feels the impact of inflation just as much as the fisherman in Bayelsa. The entrepreneur in Lagos battling multiple taxation is no different from the small business owner in Aba struggling with high electricity costs and poor infrastructure. The graduate roaming the streets of Kaduna in search of employment shares the same frustration as another graduate in Enugu or Port Harcourt. This is as economic hardship does not recognize tribe. Poverty does not discriminate on the basis of religion. Inflation has no political party. This is precisely why the 2027 elections must be different.

For far too long, Nigerians have allowed themselves to be distracted by issues that, while important in fostering inclusion and national cohesion, should never outweigh competence and capacity in leadership selection. Politicians understand this weakness all too well. Whenever they are unable to defend their records or articulate convincing policy alternatives, they retreat into the comfort zone of identity politics. They remind citizens of where they come from instead of what they have done. They appeal to shared faith instead of presenting workable economic programmes. They seek emotional loyalty rather than intellectual scrutiny.

Unfortunately, too many voters fall for the trap. The danger is that elections decided primarily on the basis of sentiments often produce governments that feel accountable only to those sentiments rather than to performance. Once elected, many leaders who rode to power on ethnic or religious solidarity quickly discover that governance is far more demanding than campaign slogans.

In fact, managing a nation of over 200 million people requires more than political popularity. It requires knowledge. It requires vision. It requires courage. Above all, it requires competence.

Nigeria today faces perhaps its most difficult economic circumstances since the return to civilian rule. Families are adjusting to shrinking incomes. Businesses are shutting down under the weight of escalating operating costs. Manufacturers continue to battle high energy costs, multiple taxation and foreign exchange uncertainties. Youth unemployment remains alarming despite the creativity and resilience of millions of young Nigerians. Food prices have become a source of daily anxiety in virtually every household.

The reality is that Nigerians are no longer debating luxury. They are debating survival. This explains why the economy should dominate every campaign conversation ahead of 2027. In fact, instead of asking whether a presidential candidate comes from the North or the South, Nigerians should ask whether that candidate possesses the intellectual capacity and practical experience to stabilize the economy.

Instead of arguing endlessly about religion, voters should interrogate candidates on how they intend to reduce inflation, create jobs, strengthen the naira, expand electricity generation, revive manufacturing, improve agricultural productivity and attract investment.

Instead of blindly defending political parties, citizens should carefully examine what each party proposes to do differently from what has been done before. This is as democracy was never designed to reward permanent political loyalty. It was designed to reward performance. Political parties are merely vehicles. The destination is good governance.

Unfortunately, many Nigerians have elevated party membership into a permanent identity, defending political organizations with greater passion than they defend their own economic interests. Such blind loyalty weakens democracy because it removes accountability from governance. A political party that knows its supporters will defend every policy irrespective of its consequences has little incentive to improve.

The same applies to ethnic and religious politics. History offers enough evidence that leaders who share the same ethnicity or religion with their supporters have not necessarily transformed the lives of those supporters. Several states governed by indigenes remain plagued by poor roads, failing schools, inadequate healthcare facilities and widespread unemployment. Ethnic identity has never guaranteed development. Religious affiliation has never automatically produced economic prosperity. Rather, competence has, vision has, and effective leadership has.

Countries that have transformed themselves economically did not do so because citizens voted based on identity. They succeeded because leadership selection increasingly prioritized ideas, innovation, accountability and measurable results. Nigeria cannot continue doing the same thing while expecting different outcomes. The electorate must therefore raise the standard.

Every presidential aspirant should be subjected to rigorous public scrutiny. Nigerians should insist on issue-based debates. Candidates should explain, in practical terms, how they intend to grow the economy beyond dependence on crude oil. They should present credible plans for industrialization, education reform, technological innovation, tax reforms, agricultural modernization, healthcare financing, security enhancement and infrastructure development.

Campaigns should become classrooms of ideas rather than theatres of insults. The media has an equally important responsibility.

Journalists should resist becoming willing platforms for divisive propaganda. Instead of amplifying inflammatory rhetoric capable of deepening national divisions, media organizations should challenge candidates with difficult questions about governance, fiscal policy, debt sustainability, investment promotion and economic reforms.

In a similar vein, civil society organizations must also intensify voter education. Citizens need to understand that democracy is not merely about casting ballots; it is about making informed choices based on evidence rather than emotion.

Also in a similar vein, religious institutions should encourage their members to vote according to conscience and competence, not merely shared faith. Traditional rulers should promote peaceful coexistence instead of allowing themselves to become instruments of political division. Educational institutions should deepen civic education so that first-time voters understand the immense responsibility that accompanies the ballot.

Also to be mentioned in this context is that Nigeria’s youth, who constitute the largest voting bloc, have perhaps the greatest role to play. Young Nigerians have repeatedly demonstrated resilience despite enormous challenges. They have built businesses, embraced digital innovation, excelled globally in technology, entertainment and entrepreneurship. Yet many remain trapped in an economy that has failed to create sufficient opportunities. They should refuse to become political foot soldiers recruited to spread ethnic hatred on social media. They should reject politicians who seek to divide rather than unite. They should become ambassadors of issue-based politics. Their future depends on it. The stakes could not be higher.

In fact, the next administration will inherit enormous responsibilities. It must confront inflation, public debt, unemployment, insecurity, infrastructure deficits, declining industrial productivity and the urgent need to restore investor confidence. These are not problems that can be solved through ethnic arithmetic or religious symbolism. They require capable leadership backed by informed citizens.

Ultimately, democracy reflects the quality of choices made by voters. A nation that consistently elects leaders based on primordial sentiments cannot reasonably expect governance driven by merit and excellence. Conversely, a people who insist on competence, integrity and vision are more likely to produce leaders worthy of those expectations. The time has therefore come for Nigerians to redefine the basis of political support. Let ethnicity enrich our cultural diversity, not determine our votes.

Against the backdrop of the foregoing views, it is not out of place to opine that we should let religion shape our moral values, not our electoral choices, and in the same vein let political parties remain platforms of contestation, not objects of blind allegiance. Above all, let the economy become the central issue of the 2027 elections.

The rationale for the foregoing views cannot be farfetched as the price of rice does not ask for ethnicity before rising. The cost of petrol does not distinguish between Christians and Muslims. The exchange rate does not favour members of one political party over another. In fact, when factories shut down, they sack Nigerians, not party members. When inflation rises, it punishes families, not ethnic groups. When investors leave, they do not ask which region suffers most. These realities should permanently settle the debate.

In 2027, Nigerians must resist every attempt to manipulate them through fear, division and identity politics. They must demand detailed economic blueprints instead of empty promises. They must interrogate records instead of applauding rhetoric. They must choose leadership capable of restoring hope through sound economic management and purposeful governance.

The 2027 elections should not be remembered as another contest between North and South, Christian and Muslim, or one political party against another. They should mark the moment Nigerians finally decided that their collective prosperity matters more than primordial sentiments.

When history eventually records the choices that shaped Nigeria’s future, may it be said that in 2027, Nigerians voted not with their emotions, but with their conscience; not with prejudice, but with patriotism; not for tribe or religion, but for competence, economic renewal and the enduring promise of a better nation.