By Alistair Soyode
The recent meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has generated various and very different narratives.
The bishops spoke about the hardship Nigerians are experiencing, insecurity, electricity, infrastructure and concerns about governance. The Presidency, meanwhile, defended its economic reforms and maintained that Nigeria is moving in the right direction. Both sides are entitled to their positions.That is democracy.
Politics is about competing ideas, arguments and counter-arguments. The government will defend itself. Opposition parties will challenge it. Religious leaders, civil society, the media and citizens will express their concerns.
The danger is when Nigerians stop thinking for themselves.
There is an old story of the shepherd boy who repeatedly cried “wolf”. Each time, people rushed to help, only to discover that he was joking. Eventually, when the real danger came, nobody believed him.
The lesson is simple: When political actors repeatedly exaggerate, manipulate or weaponise every issue, citizens can eventually stop distinguishing between political noise and genuine danger. This applies to government and opposition alike.
The Presidency should not dismiss every criticism as political opposition. Opposition parties should not describe everything the government does as failure. Nigerians deserve neither propaganda nor manufactured outrage. They deserve facts!
More importantly, they deserve to understand their own power.
The Nigerian Constitution is clear. Section 14(2)(a) states that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, from whom the government derives its powers and authority. Section 14(2)(b) places the security and welfare of the people as the primary purpose of government, while Section 14(2)(c) provides for people’s participation in government.
Sections 77(2), 117(2), 132(5) and 178(5) establish the constitutional framework for eligible citizens to register and vote.
This is where 2027 becomes important.
The Nigerian voter must not vote simply because a candidate is from his or her state, region, religion, ethnic group or political party.
- Vote on evidence.
- Who has performed?
- Who has credible ideas?
- Who has demonstrated competence?
- Who can be trusted with public resources?
- Who understands the problems of ordinary Nigerians?
- And who deserves another opportunity?
A rally crowd is not necessarily the electorate. Many people seen around political gatherings are professional politicians, party officials, appointees, campaign workers and political participants.
Meanwhile, millions of Nigerians are working, trading, farming, studying, running businesses, raising families and simply trying to survive.
They may be absent from the rallies, but they are the electorate.
Their votes matter. And those votes should not be sold.
The Electoral Act 2022 also prohibits electoral bribery and inducement, including offering or receiving money or valuable consideration in exchange for votes. A politician may give you money today. But that money cannot buy four years of good governance.
It cannot permanently fix electricity, security, healthcare, education, roads, employment or the cost of living.
So let the government speak.
Let the opposition speak.
Let the bishops (or faith leaders) speak.
Let the media investigate.
But let the Nigerian voter think.
2027 should not simply be another battle between political parties. It should be an opportunity for Nigerians to exercise the power that constitutionally belongs to them.
Not as Northerners or Southerners.
Not as Christians or Muslims.
Not as a governing/ruling party, opposition party, party in office or any other party. But first as Nigerians.
Take your mandate seriously.
Take your vote seriously.
Take Nigeria seriously.
The politicians will eventually leave the stage.
The Nigerian people will remain with the consequences.
God bless Nigeria.
Article and opinions shared by Mentoring Cmdt Alistair of NIDMECORP. He writes from the UK and is a former elective office seeker.
