As political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, Nigerians and various stakeholders have called on contestants to move away from the familiar politics of slogans, personality attacks, ethnic mobilisation and religious rhetoric and instead present practical solutions to the country’s economic and social challenges. 

In separate interviews with Vanguard, stakeholders said presidential, governorship and legislative candidates should make the 2027 campaigns a contest of ideas, competence, measurable programmes and accountability.

They identified insecurity, food inflation, unemployment, education, healthcare, electricity, housing, agriculture, industrialisation and economic reforms among the issues that should dominate the campaigns.

They also challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to account for its record in government and explain how its policies have affected ordinary Nigerians, while urging opposition parties to go beyond criticising the administration and present credible alternatives capable of persuading voters.

The calls came as political parties and aspirants stepped up preparations for the 2027 elections, with the APC moving towards the establishment of its presidential campaign structure while opposition parties worked on strategies for mobilising voters and strengthening their campaign organisations.

Stakeholders seek an end to slogan-driven campaigns

Stakeholders said Nigerians were increasingly interested in knowing exactly what candidates intended to do if elected, how their programmes would be financed and when voters could expect results.

Former chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ondo State, Stephen Adewale, said candidates needed to replace vague promises with specific, realistic and measurable programmes.

According to him, the campaigns should address problems affecting citizens’ daily lives, particularly insecurity, rising living costs, food inflation, unemployment, poverty, electricity supply, healthcare and education.

He also stressed the importance of explaining how proposed policies would be funded and what mechanisms would be put in place to ensure elected officials remained accountable.

Adewale said political campaigns should be based on achievable programmes rather than propaganda, ethnic appeals, religious mobilisation or promises that could not realistically be delivered.

Calls for target-driven manifestoes

Public affairs analyst, Ayo Fadaka, expressed concern over what he described as the increasingly shallow nature of political campaigns in Nigeria.

He said political parties needed to develop clear, target-driven manifestoes capable of addressing the country's developmental problems and providing Nigerians with a sense of direction.

Fadaka said candidates should explain how they intended to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable Nigerians, tackle insecurity and strengthen healthcare, education and agriculture.

He also identified industrialisation as a critical area, arguing that sustainable job creation would remain difficult without a stronger productive economy and greater investment in local industries.

He warned that populist rhetoric and political theatrics should not overshadow substantive discussions about national development.

Social crusader Bode Akinbode similarly identified security, functional refineries, reliable electricity and improved healthcare as issues that should feature prominently in the campaigns.

He also called for policies aimed at creating jobs, expanding affordable housing and supporting young people involved in agriculture and agribusiness.

Voters want alternatives, not hate speech

For Ayo Ologun, spokesperson for The Osun Masterminds, TOM, the electorate had become less interested in personality-based political arguments and more concerned about the policies and programmes candidates would implement.

He said the ruling party should explain how it intended to improve living conditions, while opposition parties should demonstrate how their proposed alternatives would deliver better outcomes.

Ologun identified electricity, healthcare, education and insecurity as urgent issues requiring detailed attention during the campaigns.

He maintained that the election should focus on competing solutions rather than hate speech, personal attacks or arguments over candidates’ academic credentials.

Food security and agriculture take centre stage

Food security also emerged as a major concern among stakeholders.

Waheed Saka, convener of Dialogue 365, said political parties should make food production and affordability central to their 2027 campaign strategies.

He urged candidates to explain how they would support farmers, increase agricultural output, reduce hunger and ensure that Nigerians had access to affordable food.

Saka argued that political campaigns should concentrate on policies capable of improving living conditions rather than personal attacks and divisive rhetoric.

Stakeholders reject ethnic and religious mobilisation

Chartered Librarian and public affairs analyst, Ayo Arogundade, called for campaigns centred on national issues and warned against character assassination, tribal mobilisation and religious sentiments.

He said the APC should be prepared to defend its record in government, while opposition candidates should clearly explain how their policies and programmes would produce different or better results.

Arogundade said presidential candidates should debate major issues including the economy, subsidy policy, infrastructure, energy, education, healthcare, foreign exchange, fiscal and monetary policy and national security.

He also advocated town hall meetings and media debates to allow candidates to explain their programmes directly to voters.

According to him, the 2027 election should be treated as a serious national undertaking, with candidates focusing on the welfare, security and economic prospects of Nigerians instead of turning campaign rallies into platforms for mudslinging.

Education, healthcare and infrastructure highlighted

Former Ekiti State Commissioner, Lanre Ogunsuyi, urged candidates to present realistic policies covering healthcare, education, security, infrastructure and employment.

He advocated a comprehensive review of university curricula to ensure that education was better aligned with labour-market requirements and provided young people with practical skills that could improve their employment prospects.

Ogunsuyi also called for improved school infrastructure, the recruitment of qualified teachers, wider access to education and better funding.

On security, he said candidates should provide detailed strategies for dealing with crime, terrorism and other threats while protecting lives and property.

He further identified reliable electricity, quality roads, efficient transportation, water supply, entrepreneurship, investment and sustainable employment as areas requiring urgent attention.

He said candidates should also demonstrate a commitment to economic development, good governance, transparency and improved living standards.

Community leader Akinkunmi Olufemi similarly placed security at the top of the priorities for the 2027 campaigns.

He called for clear strategies for healthcare and economic recovery, as well as measures to reduce the cost of essential utilities, particularly electricity and telecommunications.

Olufemi also warned against political vendettas and the practice of deliberately undermining opponents.

He urged future administrations to complete viable projects inherited from previous governments, noting that such projects were funded with public resources and should not be abandoned merely because political power had changed hands.

Nigerians demand measurable promises

Niyi Rotimi, head of the Human Rights Department of the Justice, Development & Peace Movement in Abeokuta, said political parties and presidential candidates should publish clear manifestoes and explain what they intended to do differently if elected.

He said voters were tired of endless criticism of the ruling party and wanted opposition politicians to provide practical and convincing alternatives.

Rotimi listed insecurity, hunger, youth unemployment, cybercrime and cybersecurity, education, the growing population of out-of-school children, agricultural production, healthcare and poverty among the issues requiring urgent attention.

He said candidates should provide clear plans for protecting lives and property, creating jobs, increasing food production, supporting farmers, improving education, expanding affordable housing, strengthening healthcare and providing reliable electricity.

He also identified good roads and an interconnected national road network, alongside affordable and dependable transportation, as important components of any credible development agenda.

According to him, Nigerians needed practical solutions, measurable objectives and realistic implementation strategies rather than political noise.

Niger Delta seeks environmental justice

Stakeholders from the Niger Delta brought a region-specific concern to the debate, demanding that environmental restoration be included in the programmes of presidential and governorship candidates.

Veteran governance and environmental rights advocate, Iniruo Wills, challenged candidates to provide concrete strategies for addressing decades of pollution and ecological degradation in the oil-producing region.

Wills, a former two-time Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information and Environment, said candidates seeking support in the region should demonstrate a clear commitment to environmental remediation, including a comprehensive Niger Delta-wide cleanup programme.

He also urged major candidates to conduct extensive consultations with communities before finalising their manifestoes.

According to him, issues such as oil pollution, gas flaring and environmental degradation have had long-term consequences for communities and should receive greater political attention.

Housing and industrialisation remain key concerns

Convener of the South South Reawakening Group, Joseph Ambakederimo, identified food production, affordable housing and industrialisation as major issues for the 2027 campaigns.

He called on candidates to explain in practical terms how they would increase food production rather than merely including agriculture in campaign speeches.

Ambakederimo also raised concerns about the rising cost of accommodation and urged candidates to develop strategies for expanding affordable housing.

He argued that Nigeria’s domestic cement production capacity should be leveraged to support large-scale housing development and reduce the burden of rent on ordinary citizens.

He further called for an improved business environment and stronger support for local industries, saying industrial expansion would help create jobs and strengthen the economy.

Education and vocational skills

Former presidential candidate Chief Peter Ameh said the 2027 campaigns should include a fundamental discussion about the future of Nigeria’s education system.

He advocated a redesign of the system to place greater emphasis on practical education, vocational training and sustainable skills development.

Ameh also called for the rehabilitation of public schools and greater consideration of free education as part of a broader national development strategy.

He linked educational reform to national security, arguing that improvements in education would require a stronger security environment.

He also urged greater investment in agriculture and increased participation by young Nigerians, pointing to the country’s large amount of arable land as an opportunity to expand food production and develop a stronger agricultural economy.

Ameh said candidates should focus on concrete challenges facing Nigerians and avoid name-calling and political mudslinging.

Afenifere demands restructuring

The National Organising Secretary of Afenifere, Apagun Kole Omololu, said the 2027 campaign should go beyond slogans, personality cults, ethnic mobilisation and promises designed primarily to secure votes.

He said candidates should explain how they would revive the economy, stabilise the naira, control inflation, create productive employment and restore Nigerians’ purchasing power.

Omololu also urged candidates to demonstrate an understanding of the structural problems confronting the country and provide realistic solutions rather than broad political wish lists.

Beyond security, education, healthcare, agriculture, electricity, infrastructure and social protection, Afenifere wants the presidential candidates to address the restructuring of Nigeria’s political and economic system.

Omololu said candidates should explain how they intend to devolve power, strengthen federalism, promote fiscal autonomy and create a fairer distribution of responsibilities and resources among the federating units.

2027 election expected to be a contest of ideas

Across the various submissions, stakeholders expressed broadly similar concerns despite differences in their regional and professional perspectives.

Security, food production, education, healthcare, electricity, employment, housing, infrastructure, industrialisation, economic reform and environmental protection emerged as recurring priorities.

The common demand was for the 2027 campaigns to move away from insults, personality attacks, ethnic and religious mobilisation and empty promises.

Stakeholders want voters to be presented with clear answers on what candidates intend to do differently, how their programmes will be financed, when promised results will be delivered and what mechanisms will be available to hold elected officials accountable.

For the ruling APC, this means defending its record and explaining the impact of its policies on citizens. For opposition parties, it means moving beyond criticism and presenting credible alternatives.

Ultimately, the electorate faces the responsibility of demanding substance from candidates and political parties before making its choice at the ballot box.

The central issue for the 2027 contest, therefore, is expected to be less about who can generate the loudest political noise and more about which candidates can provide credible, practical and measurable answers to the challenges confronting Nigerians.