Campaigns for the 2027 general elections formally commenced on Wednesday, August 19, as stipulated on the timetable published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The various political parties have already set up Campaign Councils and are ready to hit the roads for rallies to market their candidates and reel out promises to the electorates as usual.
As this phase of the Electoral process begins, there will be need for all the parties to conduct themselves maturely by carrying out issues-based campaigns, as is done in other democracies elsewhere in the advanced world.
There are so many developmental problems presently seeking solutions in the country.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation is straining from years of frustrating developmental challenges that need to be addressed through a focused, honest, purposefully leadership, for the good and overall welfare of the citizenry.
In the past few years the country has witnessed some economic reforms, even as they have sparked a rise in cost-of-living. For instance the cost of food items went up just as increase in house rent seem to have become the order of the day.
No doubt, the 29 May, 2023 declaration of "Subsidy is gone" immediately resulted in a devaluation of the Naira. This pronouncement spiked inflation and has taken it to about 35% which is unprecedented in the annals of Nigerian history.
Millions have continued to slide into poverty with more than 60 % of Nigerians now living below poverty line, according to the World Bank.
Insecurity is another burning issue.The country is presently in the mess of multiple security crisis from jihadists; non-ideological random gangs who are involved in terrorism; bandits raiding and burning communities to rustle cattle and other livestock; dangerously armed Fulani herders killing defenseless citizens in their homes; and abducting farmers from their farms with the aim of converting those farmlands into cattle grazing fields.
Most disgusting in this regard is that, in some communities, villagers are made to pay taxes in millions to insurgents in order to be able to access their farmlands to cultivate or even harvest crops.
Kidnapping for ransom, which is fuelling what has come to be known as the "AK47 Economy"' has become a nightmare, especially for commuters using public highways. Schools are are not spared. They are invaded and children and their teachers taken away into captivity and kept for months in the forests.
Education is another sector bedeviled by problems. The Nigerian Education system faces severe challenges that include chronic underfunding; embarrassing decay of schools infrastructure; the millions of out-of-school children; and incessant disruptions of academic programs in Universities and other tertiary institutions due to strikes.
The roads are also a burden. There is a terribly deplorable conditions of roads network across the country.
Nigeria has a rural road network of 200,000 kilometers. But according to the World Bank, 87% of these roads are in extremely poor conditions, thereby adversely impacting on productivity, especially in the agricultural sector of the economy.
Agriculture which contributes over 27% to the nations Gross Domestic Product and employs about 34% of the work force is largely dependent on the roads network.
The Health Care sector too has problems that need to be addressed. It's common place now, for those who are able, particularly the ruling class to fly abroad to treat minor health issues like toothache or even common cold, because the facilities here at home are dysfunctional.
Primary health care which is a basic right of every Nigerian citizen, especially in the rural areas, is inundated with a litany of challenges. These include fragmented governance and coordination; poor and dilapidated health facilities; shortage of human resources and poor funding.
Still another issue is the overall welfare of citizens. There is an abominable neglect of Nigerians, especially the vulnerable young population and the elderly. For instance, there are incessant protests over unpaid benefits by both military and civil retirees. Senior Citizens who invested their youthful energy labouring for the nation are left for over 10 years on retirement without gratuities.
Meanwhile, political office holders earn millions of Naira as monthly salaries while Workers minimum wage is N70,000, yet a bag of rice costs N60,000. This is, to say the least, very annoying.
Youth Unemployment remains a critical socio-economic challenge and a time bomb that begs for holistic solutions.
Statistics have it that with a population of over 200 million citizens, Nigerian youths under age 30 make up a total of about 80 millions. This makes us one of the most youthful countries in the world.
The worrisome aspect is that those between 16 and 35 of age, representing 53% of youth population are currently unemployed.
In fact, these and so many other problems that are militating against the development of the country are begging for solutions.
These are the issues that should constitute the campaign rhetorics, not insults directed at the personalities of political opponents, which sometimes end up in violent clashes among rival groups resulting in loss of lives and destruction of property.
Instructively, during the recent signing of the Peace Accord in Abuja on Tuesday 18 August, arranged by the National Peace Committee, all critical stakeholders who spoke at the event stressed on the need to have a peaceful, issues-based campaigns this time around.
Consequently, it will be worthwhile for the Presidential candidates themselves to appear on national television and engage in debate to explain to Nigerians how best they intend to address these prevalent problems that bedevil the nation.
At this point, it is necessary to caution spokespersons, media teams and overzealous party members to spare us the usual campaigns of calumny against political opponents.
Moving forward, Nigerians need to know how they will be governed in the next four years. Let there, therefore be issues-based electioneering campaigns as we go about the 2027 general elections!
Bette is a Senior Citizen, Educationist and Author
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