Demand plans on insecurity, jobs, poverty, economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure
BY ABU NMODU, FELIX IGBEKOYI, IBRAHIM OBANSA, ABDULLAHI OLESIN, BABAJI USMAN BABAJI, ALO ABIOLA, DAMILOLA ORIGBEMISUYI, EMMANUEL MGBEAHURIKE, NNAMDI MBAWIKE, RICHARD NDOMA, OKEM GREEN MBAH and LONGTONG YAKUBU
With campaigns for the 2027 general elections gathering momentum, voters across the country have sent a common message to presidential candidates: tell Nigerians, in practical terms, how you intend to fix the country.
They want President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and other candidates to move beyond rallies, slogans, endorsements, and attacks on opponents, and to present clear, measurable solutions to Nigeria’s problems.
In interviews across Niger, Kogi, Gombe, Ekiti, Kwara, Ondo, Imo, Enugu, Cross River, Bayelsa, Kano and Delta states, voters and stakeholders identified insecurity, unemployment, poverty, the economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure, electricity and corruption as issues that should dominate the campaigns.
Create jobs, not empowerment handouts
In Niger State, Dr Abdullahi Jabi of the Campaign for Democracy and Good Governance said candidates should campaign on good governance and the welfare and security of citizens.
He said poverty alleviation, security, infrastructure, unemployment, healthcare and education should take centre stage.
“It is not enough that students are enjoying the loan fund; we should also make them employable. They should secure employment after acquiring the requisite knowledge and skills from school. How to do that should form part of the campaign issues, not sentimental issues,” he said.
Mubarak Mohammad, a member of the Agglomeration of Civil Society Organisations in Niger State, said voters were tired of campaign rallies that produced little change in their lives.
“We are tired of the jamboree of campaign rallies where people gather to listen to issues that do not change their lives. Now we want to hear how you can solve problems of insecurity, poverty, unemployment, infrastructure, education and decaying health facilities,” he said.
Another voter, Abdulsalam Abdul, said he wanted candidates to move beyond vague promises.
Fix roads, water, schools, healthcare
In Kogi State, residents said the next administration must prioritise security, potable water, sanitation, affordable transportation, good roads and healthcare.
Chairman of the Kogi NGOs Network (KONGONET), Hamza Aliyu, said politicians must look beyond rallies, slogans, attacks and handouts to address structural problems.
He listed insecurity, poor roads, flooding, inadequate healthcare personnel, insufficient water supply, mental health concerns and weak accountability among issues requiring urgent attention.
A voter in Lokoja, Danladi Zakari, urged political leaders to be honest about existing gaps and focus on practical solutions, while Shehu Usman called for stronger community-based early-warning systems and improved protection for schools.
