Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Ihemeremadu, a tech-communication investor, has been a contributing analyst (since 2002) to the interactive and print platforms of USAfrica.
In 2027, Nigerians will either re-elect the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or vote in another President. They will be rendering a verdict on the direction of the Republic. That verdict will not be determined by political advertising, ethnic sentiment, or party loyalty alone. It will be shaped by a far more basic question: Has life become safer, more prosperous, more just, and more hopeful under the current administration?
These are the issues that Dr. Katch Ononuju, Director-General of the Heritage Center, in Abuja (Nigeria), recently stated his assessment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. His 25 to 28 percent rating of the President is ultimately a matter of political opinion. More important, however, are the questions he poses about governance itself. Those questions deserve thoughtful national reflection because they speak directly to the condition of the Nigerian state.
No constitutional democracy can thrive when its citizens lose confidence that government is fulfilling its most fundamental responsibility. Nigeria’s Constitution leaves no ambiguity on this point. Section 14(2)(b) declares that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” Every administration, past, present, and future, must therefore be judged first by this constitutional benchmark.
For millions of Nigerians, insecurity remains an everyday reality. Farmers continue to abandon fertile lands for fear of attacks. Rural communities live under the constant threat of banditry and kidnapping. Businesses spend increasing amounts on private security while schools, hospitals, highways, and local economies continue to feel the consequences of instability.
Security is not merely another policy area competing with economic reform. It is the foundation upon which every successful economy rests. Without security, investment declines. Without security, agriculture suffers. Without security, education is disrupted. Without security, the most talented citizens begin to look elsewhere for opportunity and stability.
This is why governance cannot be measured solely by infrastructure projects or fiscal reforms. A nation where citizens fear for their lives cannot honestly describe itself as fully secure or fully prosperous.
Closely tied to security is another indispensable ingredient of national development: public trust.
Governments derive their legitimacy not simply from electoral victory but from the continued confidence of those they govern. Trust encourages citizens to obey the law, pay taxes, support reforms, and invest in their country’s future. Once that trust weakens, governance becomes increasingly difficult because every policy is viewed through the lens of suspicion rather than confidence.
This is where perception matters. Whether discussions concern transparency, accountability, or regional inclusion, governments ignore public perceptions at their own peril. Democracies are strengthened not only by acting fairly but by demonstrating fairness in ways that inspire confidence across every region and community.
Nigeria’s diversity makes this especially important. The Federal Character principle was established because the architects of the Nigerian federation understood that national unity depends upon every region believing it has a genuine stake in the federation. Inclusion is therefore not a political concession; it is a constitutional imperative and a strategic necessity.
When significant sections of the country consistently feel excluded from national decision-making, grievances deepen, trust erodes, and national cohesion suffers. Wise leadership recognizes that the appearance of fairness can be almost as important as fairness itself because confidence is built on both reality and perception.
As Nigeria moves toward another election cycle, another issue deserves equal attention: the state of the opposition.
Democracy was never intended to function as a one-party enterprise. Effective opposition is not an obstacle to governance; it is one of democracy’s greatest safeguards. It exposes policy failures, scrutinizes executive power, offers alternative ideas, and reminds incumbents that political authority belongs ultimately to the people. Yet history shows that opposition parties rarely defeat entrenched governments when they remain divided by personal ambition, regional rivalries, or competing egos. Electoral mathematics is unforgiving. Fragmentation almost always favors incumbency.
If opposition leaders genuinely believe Nigeria deserves a different direction in 2027, unity cannot remain a slogan. It must become an organizational reality built upon shared principles, disciplined leadership, coherent policies, and a willingness to subordinate individual ambition to national purpose. Coalitions formed merely to capture power seldom endure. Coalitions built around a common vision for national renewal stand a far greater chance of earning public confidence.
Equally compelling is Ononuju’s call for independent investigations into serious public allegations that continue to shape political debate. In a constitutional democracy, allegations should never be settled in television studios, social media campaigns, or partisan press conferences. Nor should they be ignored because they involve politically influential individuals.
The proper response is a transparent, independent, and legally credible investigation. Such investigations protect everyone. They protect innocent people from politically motivated accusations while ensuring that genuine misconduct, wherever it exists, is addressed through due process rather than selective justice. Strong institutions, not powerful personalities, are the hallmark of enduring democracies.
As 2027 approaches, Nigerians should resist the temptation to reduce the election to personalities or partisan loyalties. Elections are moments of national accountability. Citizens should demand answers to simple but profound questions.
Has insecurity measurably declined? Have economic reforms translated into improved living standards for ordinary Nigerians? Are public institutions becoming more transparent and more accountable? Do Nigerians across all regions feel equally included in the national project? Are young professionals more optimistic about building their futures at home than they were four years earlier? Has governance become more responsive to the people than to political elites? These questions matter far more than campaign slogans.
Likewise, opposition parties must answer equally difficult questions. Can they present a credible governing agenda rather than merely opposing the incumbent? Can they build a coalition that reflects Nigeria’s diversity? Can they persuade Nigerians that they possess not only the desire to win power but also the competence to govern effectively?
The 2027 election is therefore about much more than replacing one administration with another. It is about restoring confidence in governance itself. Nigeria possesses every ingredient necessary for greatness: an energetic population, abundant natural resources, entrepreneurial talent, and immense cultural diversity. What has too often been missing is the quality of institutions capable of translating those advantages into sustained national development.
The country’s next chapter will not be written by politicians alone. It will be written by citizens who insist that leadership be measured by constitutional responsibility rather than political propaganda; by tangible outcomes rather than lofty promises; by competence rather than patronage; and by national unity rather than sectional advantage.
History is often kinder to leaders who build strong institutions than to those who merely win elections. That is the enduring challenge before President Tinubu, the opposition, and indeed every Nigerian seeking public office in 2027.
The election should not simply determine who governs Nigeria. It should determine how Nigeria will be governed. The nation deserves leadership that protects its people, inspires confidence, respects constitutional principles, welcomes constructive scrutiny, and unites rather than divides.
Anything less would be a missed opportunity for a country whose potential has too often exceeded its performance.
