The 2023 elections were a moment of decision for many Nigerians. The country was assured of a new president. 28 out of 36 states of the federation elected or re-elected their chief executives. Many had made humongous and lofty promises to woo electorates. The same could be said of National and State Assembly officers who are closer to the people. Campaigns, elections, and litigations are over. All have marked 100 days—the first six months and one year in office. Can Nigerian leaders at all levels start manifesting their manifestos?
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mantra was “Renewed Hope,” with a focus on tackling insecurity, reviving the economy, and fighting corruption. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State had a 70-page “New Wave of Hope” that promised to prioritise education and health care. Sanwo Olu of Lagos State had “A Greater Lagos Rising” with promises to consolidate governance in his first four years, while Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers had a 37-page “SIMPlified Governance” with a focus on economic growth, infrastructure, education, and health. Other states had “ambitious and excellent” plans well documented with the help of expert consultants and political strategists to convince electorates that they were the best for the job. Media interviews were granted; some engaged in robust political debates, while others showed street credibility at strategic locations with standby cameramen to show their inclusiveness and understanding of the needs of the people.
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It is time for governance. Excuses must now take backstage and will not be entertained. Those “beautiful” manifestos need to start manifesting in the living standards of the citizens. The economic numbers on paper must translate to the economics of reality. One year after the elections, there are echoes of super-highways, realities of renovation of the Vice President’s Lodge, and apprehension of the purchase of a Presidential Yacht and Plane, all taking priorities over the sorry state of over 100 million improvised Nigerians living in the shackles of economic depression. Fuel subsidy is “gone” remains a statement many Nigerians will never forget, even though the word “subsidy” has been substituted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to mean “shortfall.” The naira has been devalued by nearly 300 percent. Insecurity has worsened food and human insecurity. Inflation is at a record high. Healthcare costs have surged, with many Nigerians one sickness away from poverty, debt, or death. The last one year is unarguably the worst in history for most Nigerians.
State governors have been overlooked for too long. 47 percent of allocations go to the states and local governments. Nigerians, CSOs, and the media have paid less attention to governance at the local level than the centre. The sub-nationals must complement the development efforts at the centre for Nigeria to achieve its development agenda. States have now raked in more allocation due to the Naira devaluation. The increase in allocations has failed to translate to improvements in basic life needs for many Nigerians. The Local Government Autonomy granted by the Supreme Court implies that Nigerians will demand more from the Council who are closest to the people.
Political leaders need to dust up their manifestos and self-evaluate themselves. The last year has been socio-economically abysmal for Nigerians. Priorities must focus on addressing insecurity. Farmers need to feel safe to return to the farms. Nigeria needs to conduct a robust and technology-driven population census. This is long overdue and will assist economic planners in knowing, “Who are the poor?” “Why are they poor?” and “What do they need?”. This is crucial for economic planning and tackling extreme poverty. The government must invest in research and innovation. Nigeria’s past President and Vice President since 2007 (Goodluck Jonathan and Yemi Osibanjo), who came from academia, failed to prioritise and emphasise the need and value of research in development. Nigeria must invest in its citizens. People build institutions, and these institutions build a society. Investment in technical and primary education (especially Almajiri schools) and affordable health care are mandatory. Our national budget mirrors our development priorities.
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Political actors at all levels must take governance seriously. Close observation and analysis have shown that political leaders perform “their best” in their first tenures. Second terms in office are used to fight perceived political enemies, become tyrannical, and amass wealth for themselves and their cronies. The political wrath from Nigerians at the ballot lies in wait in 2027. Patience has been stretched, and demand for good governance could come sooner, as shown in the last protest by disgruntled youths nationwide. Political leaders who can’t manifest their manifestos must step aside. Manifest the “fantastic” manifestos promised during elections. Is it too much to ask from Nigerians? Certainly not!
Victor Alikor is a development economist and Oxford Foundry Fellow in Entrepreneurship & Leadership.
