Motivational Power: Beyond the Rhetoric and Campaigns of 2027, by Ladi Ayodeji

Campaign season is finally here, at least officially. In Nigeria, however, politicians have continued to campaign from one election cycle to the next, often through rhetoric, bile and hate speech.

Unfortunately, much of this rhetoric has little substance or relevance to Nigeria’s real problems. Civil society organisations, mainstream media and influential commentators, who should play a vital role in setting the agenda, have become trapped in this vicious cycle of ethnic and religious bigotry, which increasingly appears to have become the norm.

This ugly situation is further accentuated by a number of hate mongers, loud bloggers and paid hackers masquerading as influencers, who spread fake news across social media platforms and exploit the prevailing frustrations in the country to increase their own relevance.

The real issues today are not the President’s academic credentials or the singular issue of fuel subsidies. The real questions concern how the government’s policies have affected the lives of Nigerians and what prospects its reforms have for the country’s long-term stability and progress.

The real issues are not simply what major opposition figures think about fuel subsidies, border closures or their personal grievances over the loss of political power. Nor should the debate be reduced to their apparent fears of permanent exclusion from the political system or from the spoils of political office.

What Nigerians want to know is: What viable alternative policies do the main opposition leaders have to offer?

Unfortunately, beyond the familiar criticisms of the government’s perceived failure to end insecurity, arrest spiraling inflation and address the country’s other challenges, opposition leaders have yet to present a radical, clear and effective roadmap for the post-Tinubu era they seek to lead.

The contrast with previous political eras is striking.

In the 1979 election cycle, major political actors articulated identifiable policy alternatives. The ruling NPN, led by President Shehu Shagari, has placed the Green Revolution at the center of its agenda, while its main rival, the UPN, led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, has promoted its four cardinal programs, including free and compulsory education at all levels, integrated rural development and free healthcare.

They were clear alternative choices that the political gladiators of that era articulated and sold to the electorate. This is largely absent from today’s political discourse.

With a rapidly growing population placing increasing pressure on the food supply chain, inadequate incomes, unreliable electricity supply, unemployment, insecurity and broader economic dysfunction resulting in part from the absence of sound and holistic planning, Nigeria faces serious challenges to sustainable growth and stability.

The debate should therefore focus on how to bring Nigeria out of the current cycle of unstable, fragile and unreliable economic performance and move the country towards a realistic picture of stability and progress.

We need functional education systems. We need universal health coverage. We need a vibrant, export-oriented economy. We need an effective security architecture. We need technology labs and innovation hubs where new ideas can be developed and commercialized. We need realistic and sustainable youth development programs. We need a vigorous national response to artificial intelligence and a broader technological revolution.

These should be at the center of the agenda of those seeking to lead Nigeria into a post-Tinubu political era, not the politics of ethnic mobilisation, personal attacks and endless efforts to wrest power from President Tinubu and the APC government.

The opposition should tell Nigerians what it intends to do differently, how it intends to do it, how much it will cost and how it will be financed.

Whether one agrees with the Tinubu administration or not, the uncomfortable reality is that even if President Tinubu is defeated by a united opposition in 2027, opposition parties would still need to demonstrate that they have the ideas, policies, institutions and capacity to provide the immediate relief that is promised to Nigerians.

Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and other major opposition figures cannot afford to turn the 2027 elections into a simple referendum on Bola Tinubu. Nigerians deserve more than a competition between personalities, grievances and political alliances.

They deserve a competition of ideas.

The question should not simply be: who can defeat Tinubu?

It should be: Who has the clearest, most credible and sustainable plan for Nigeria?

*Ladi Ayodeji, Marriage Counselor, Author, Media Expert and Philosopher, can be contacted on 09059243004, WhatsApp only.