Journalist and Public Affairs Analyst, Festus Fifen, has called on Nigerians to look beyond money, political connections and personality when choosing candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on The Conversation, an in-house programme on Lagos Television (LTV), Fifen said Nigeria needs a stronger focus on issue-based politics, competent leadership and accountability.
He observed that political campaigns have increasingly become centred on large rallies, entertainment and excitement, with less attention given to policies and concrete plans for governance.
Fifen recalled earlier political eras, including the period of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the Nigerian Peoples Movement (NPM), when parties, according to him, placed greater emphasis on their programmes and proposed solutions to national challenges.
He urged political parties and candidates to clearly state their plans, explain how they intend to implement them and provide measurable targets that voters can use to assess their performance.
The analyst said campaign rallies have their place in political mobilisation but should not overshadow discussions on key issues such as the economy, education, healthcare, employment, infrastructure and security.
Fifen also expressed concern over vote-buying, noting that some voters accept cash and other incentives because they see them as immediate benefits they may receive from politicians during their four-year tenure.
He warned that this practice could encourage voters to prioritise short-term gains instead of demanding policies that promote sustainable development.
On personality-driven politics, Fifen urged voters to consider candidates’ track records, competence and ability to deliver rather than relying solely on personal relationships, familiarity or political affiliations.
He also called for stronger accountability, urging citizens to demand specific commitments from politicians and evaluate their performance based on measurable results.
Fifen challenged the media to play a more active role in scrutinising political candidates by asking difficult questions about their policies, funding and implementation strategies.
He advocated more debates, town-hall meetings and policy-focused programmes that would give voters opportunities to engage directly with candidates.
Fifen maintained that better governance can only emerge when Nigerians and political institutions begin to value competence, integrity, ideas, accountability and measurable results over money and political connections.
