Barely midway into the current administration’s term, the political atmosphere is alreadg thick with 2027 calculations. Party caucuses are sketching out coalitions, former leaders are flirting with comebacks,, and political tacticians are working overtime amassing war chests. But outside these air-conditioned war rooms, the bulk of Nigerians inhabit another world, one of rising cost of food, lost jobs, and increasing despair.
The fixation on the next election cycle has become a chronic ailment of our political class. All rhetoric, policy, and greeting are now optimized for election gain rather than its impact on the daily life of the citizen. The result, of course it is autopilot government: leaders with minds on future power and little concern for today’s crises.
Nigeria’s inflation rate continues to refuse to drop, the Naira still declining, and insecurity keeping farmers from venturing out to work. Parents are forced to choose between paying school fees or eating. For millions, survival is a day-by-day battle — and 2027 might as well be a lifetime away.
This obsession with the political horizon is at a sour cost: it undermines trust in leadership. Voters observe leaders who sprint toward campaign podiums but crawl to the podiums of economic reform. The cirizens are given promises of a better tomorrow, but their belly cries noisily today.
If our politicians truly seeks political longevity, they ought to understand the following: the most effective way to win elections is to become successful in governing today. Feed the people, secure their streets, give their children hope, and they will remember it on election day.
2027 will come, with or without politicians obsessing about it. What matters is what happens between now and then. Leadership is not gauged by when you start campaigning but by how many lives you touch of those you claim to represent. The people are speaking through their suffering. It’s time the political class listened.
