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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

As Obaigbena Challenges Politicians to Make the 2027 Election a Contest of Ideas

From ThisDay · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • THISDAY and AriseNews Chairman Nduka Obaigbena urged Nigerian political leaders to make the 2027 election a contest over policies rather than personalities.
  • He called for debates on subsidies, exchange rates, tax reform and insecurity, including whether state police could help address security challenges.
  • The article examines Nigeria’s longstanding reliance on personality-driven campaigns, a tendency it says social media could make more damaging.

Nduka Obaigbena has challenged Nigeria’s political leaders to turn the 2027 election into a contest of policies instead of personalities. His intervention comes as the country again approaches a general election shaped by familiar battles over character, accusations and political identity.

Speaking at a panel discussion during the centenary celebration of the Daily Times of Nigeria at the THISDAY DOME in Abuja, the chairman of THISDAY Newspapers and Arise Media Group urged leaders to present competing visions that voters can compare. “I believe I should implore our leaders to fight the election on policies,” he said.

I believe I should implore our leaders to fight the election on policies.

· Nduka ObaigbenaHe urged Nigerian political leaders to base the 2027 election on policy proposals rather than personalities.

Obaigbena pointed to issues that could form the substance of such a debate. He asked whether Nigeria should retain subsidies, return to command-and-control exchange rates or rely on markets, and pursue tax reforms to narrow the gap between rich and poor. He also raised insecurity and state police, asking what presidential hopefuls Abubakar Atiku and Peter Obi think about those questions. “Let us debate our future on policies,” he said.

Should we have subsidy or should we not? Let us debate it. Should we go back to the command-and-control exchange rates, or should we allow the markets?

· Nduka ObaigbenaHe illustrated the economic questions he wants political campaigns to address.

Sunday Aborisade writes that the appeal highlights a campaign culture that has repeatedly focused on personalities, propaganda and smear campaigns. Nigerian elections, the article says, have often centered on ethnicity, religion, regional calculations, corruption allegations, competence and accusations of betrayal, sometimes leaving detailed and measurable alternatives in the background.

The article argues that social media has added a potentially more destructive dimension. Supporters can now broadcast campaign messages widely, while allegations can spread quickly. That development raises questions for political contestants, the media and regulators about whether the next election can give citizens a clearer choice between competing programmes.

Let us debate our future on policies.

· Nduka ObaigbenaHe called for an election focused on competing approaches to Nigeria’s future.
About this summary

Originally published by ThisDay in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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