By Adamu Hamza Marree Talum
The 2027 general election is drawing nearer, and there is growing debate and contradiction over the choice of the right candidate from the North—someone we believe can reverse the harsh and damaging policies that have contributed to the economic hardship Nigerians are experiencing today.
We have experienced the administrations of President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we have felt the consequences of their economic policies. The removal of fuel subsidy, for instance, has had a significant impact on transportation costs and the prices of essential goods and services. Millions of Nigerians, however, continue to struggle with stagnant incomes while the cost of living keeps rising.
We have also witnessed the dramatic increase in the prices of food items and other basic commodities. Products that were once affordable have become increasingly difficult for ordinary Nigerians to purchase. At the same time, businesses and manufacturers face rising production costs, particularly because of the high cost of diesel and other sources of energy. These increased costs are eventually passed on to consumers.
We have now experienced successive administrations, and we are in a better position to judge their successes and failures based on the realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.
Every year, budgets are presented and approved, yet many citizens continue to ask the same question: Where is the impact on their daily lives? While governments announce ambitious programmes and policies, poverty, unemployment, inflation and insecurity continue to place enormous pressure on families, particularly in the North.
As the 2027 election approaches, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has presented policy proposals that, in his view, offer a different direction from the economic policies that have brought the country to its current situation. Among the issues he has emphasized are education, agriculture and measures aimed at reducing the burden of the high cost of living.
Unfortunately, some Northerners are already dismissing these proposals without carefully examining them. It is particularly concerning when people who are themselves struggling with hunger, unemployment and rising prices become unwilling to consider alternative policies that could potentially improve their circumstances.
We must not allow political loyalty, ethnic sentiment or misinformation to prevent us from critically examining the choices before us.
The North has enormous potential, but that potential can only be realized when we put the welfare and future of our people above personal interests and political sentiments. We must ask ourselves: What kind of policies will reduce poverty, improve education, strengthen agriculture, create jobs and make life more affordable for ordinary Nigerians?
This is not a call for Northerners to support any candidate blindly. It is a call for us to think critically, examine the records of those seeking our votes, compare their policies and choose the candidate whose programmes best address our problems.
Therefore, I call on my fellow Northerners to give the political future of our country serious consideration. Let us look beyond party slogans and political propaganda. Let us examine the policies, records and promises of every candidate.
If we believe that restoring or reforming subsidies and investing more heavily in education and agriculture can provide relief to Nigerians, then we should be willing to support policies that reflect that vision.
The 2027 election should be about the future of Nigeria—not merely about North versus South, party versus party, or personality versus personality. It should be about choosing leadership and policies that can give Nigerians a better and more prosperous future.
Let us think carefully. Let us ask questions. Let us compare the alternatives.
And above all, let us vote with the future of our people in mind
Post a Comment