2027: Time to Reject Mediocrity and Vote for Credibility, Competence and Capacity

2027: Time to Reject Mediocrity and Vote for Credibility, Competence and Capacity

By Umar Usman Duguri

Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are gradually moving from political speculation into a serious contest for power. Across the states, political parties are already producing candidates, forming alliances and positioning influential figures for elective offices.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun publishing information on candidates, while the major political parties have substantially progressed with the selection and submission of their candidates. The APC, for instance, has uploaded governorship candidates for most of the states where governorship elections will take place.

But beyond party labels, political alliances and campaign machinery lies a more fundamental question: What quality of leadership does Nigeria actually want in 2027?

This is the moment for Nigerians to begin asking difficult questions.

Not every politician who is popular is competent. Not every politician with money has the capacity to govern. Not every person surrounded by influential political godfathers has the credibility required to manage public resources. And not every aspirant who can mobilise crowds possesses the intellectual, administrative or moral capacity to lead a state or represent millions of citizens.

The 2027 election should therefore be a referendum on credibility, competence, capacity and character—not merely popularity, ethnicity, religion, party affiliation or financial strength.

The danger of rewarding mediocrity

For decades, Nigeria has struggled with the consequences of placing political considerations above competence.

Some candidates emerge because of their ability to spend heavily during campaigns. Others benefit from political structures, family names, godfatherism or the weakness of internal party democracy.

There are also politicians whose public profiles are considerably larger than their records of measurable achievement.

That distinction matters.

Governance is not entertainment. A state government controls billions of naira, manages education and healthcare systems, oversees infrastructure, coordinates security structures and makes decisions capable of determining whether millions of people prosper or remain trapped in poverty.

The office of governor is therefore too important to be treated as a reward for political loyalty.

The same principle applies to the National Assembly.

A senator or member of the House of Representatives should not merely be someone who can win an election. Nigerians deserve legislators who understand lawmaking, public finance, constitutional governance, oversight and the complex economic and security challenges confronting the country.

Look across the states

The emerging political contests across states such as Osun, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Ogun, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Plateau, Sokoto, Zamfara and others demonstrate the scale of the choices Nigerians will face.

In Osun, for example, the 2026 governorship contest has already provided a useful lesson ahead of 2027: political loyalties can shift, former political opponents can unite and voters can be presented with competing arguments about the direction of governance. Former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former deputy governor Iyiola Omisore recently backed APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, arguing that the state requires a different direction.

The lesson is not that one particular candidate is automatically better than another.

The lesson is that voters must examine the arguments, records and capacity of every candidate before making a decision.

In Bauchi, the political environment is similarly attracting attention as parties position themselves ahead of the next governorship contest. The same is true in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Ogun, Gombe, Niger and several other states.

The electorate should resist the temptation to reduce these contests to personality cults.

A candidate should be asked: What have you actually achieved? What problems have you solved? What institutions have you strengthened? What is your economic vision? How will you create jobs? What is your plan for education, healthcare, security and infrastructure?

If a candidate cannot answer these basic questions convincingly, political slogans should not substitute for competence.

Experience is important—but experience alone is not enough

There is also a danger in the opposite direction.

Rejecting mediocrity does not mean automatically choosing someone simply because he or she is highly educated, wealthy or experienced in government.

Experience can be valuable, but experience without results should not become an entitlement to public office.

A politician who has occupied several positions without leaving a meaningful record should be examined just as critically as a newcomer.

Likewise, a young aspirant should not be dismissed merely because of age. Nigeria needs a combination of experience and fresh thinking.

The real question should be:

What can this person do with the opportunity?

Political parties must also accept responsibility

The burden should not be placed entirely on voters.

Political parties have an enormous responsibility to improve the quality of candidates they present.

If parties continue to prioritise financial muscle, political connections and electoral calculations over competence, Nigerians will continue to face difficult choices at the ballot box.

Internal democracy must therefore become more than a slogan.

Parties should subject aspirants to meaningful scrutiny and encourage debates about policies, qualifications, records and programmes.

A party primary should not simply determine who has the strongest political network. It should help identify who is most capable of serving the public.

Nigerians must also examine themselves

There is an uncomfortable truth that must be acknowledged: politicians do not operate in isolation.

If voters sell their votes, politicians will continue to see elections as investments to be recovered after victory.

If citizens vote solely because of ethnicity or religion, candidates will have little incentive to appeal to the broader public interest.

If voters reward politicians for distributing money during campaigns while ignoring their records in office, political actors will continue to prioritise short-term electoral spending over long-term development.

The 2027 election therefore represents not only a test for politicians but also a test for the Nigerian electorate.

What should voters look for?

Before supporting any candidate, Nigerians should examine at least five things.

First, credibility.

Does the candidate have a reputation for integrity and accountability? Are there serious unanswered questions surrounding his or her conduct?

Second, competence.

Does the person understand the responsibilities of the office being sought?

Third, capacity.

Can the candidate assemble competent people, manage institutions and translate promises into policies and measurable results?

Fourth, character.

How has the candidate treated people when power was not at stake? Does the person respect institutions, opponents and the rule of law?

Fifth, record.

What has the candidate actually accomplished in previous public or private responsibilities?

These questions should matter more than the size of campaign posters.

The politics of promises must end

Nigeria has heard enough promises.

Every election cycle produces ambitious declarations about roads, jobs, schools, hospitals, security and economic transformation.

The problem is not the shortage of promises. It is the shortage of accountability after victory.

The 2027 campaigns should therefore be different.

Candidates should be challenged to present realistic programmes with timelines, funding mechanisms and measurable targets.

A candidate promising thousands of jobs should explain where the jobs will come from.

A candidate promising massive infrastructure should explain how it will be financed.

A candidate promising improved security should demonstrate an understanding of the constitutional and institutional limitations of the office.

And a candidate promising economic transformation should explain how ordinary citizens—not merely political elites and contractors—will benefit.

Rejecting mediocrity is not an attack on individuals

The call to reject mediocrity should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any particular political party or candidate.

It is a demand for a higher standard.

Some candidates who are currently being criticised by political opponents may ultimately prove to be effective leaders. Conversely, some politicians who enjoy impressive reputations may disappoint once entrusted with power.

That is precisely why voters must investigate rather than merely applaud.

Nigeria should not determine its future through insults, propaganda or personality worship.

The electorate should judge candidates on evidence.

2027 must be about the future

Nigeria is too important to continue experimenting with leadership without demanding accountability.

The country has enormous human and natural resources, but development requires institutions led by people with competence, courage and integrity.

From Lagos to Kano, Osun to Bauchi, Kaduna to Rivers, Niger to Borno, and across the federation, voters will have choices to make.

Those choices should not be based simply on who has the loudest supporters or the deepest pockets.

They should be based on who can provide credible leadership.

The Nigerian voter must therefore move beyond the question, “Who is my party's candidate?”

The more important question is:

“Who is capable of serving the public interest?”

That is the standard Nigeria needs in 2027.

It is time to reject mediocrity—not because every experienced politician is bad, not because every newcomer is automatically good, and not because one political party has a monopoly on competence.

It is time to reject mediocrity because Nigeria can no longer afford leadership chosen without serious consideration of credibility, competence, capacity and character.

The ballot paper is ultimately a contract between the citizen and the politician.

In 2027, Nigerians should read that contract carefully before signing it.