By any or every calculation, Nigeria’s current democracy, now 27 years, having begun in May 1999, can be said to have stabilized. As it is always said, the worst democratic government is always better than the best dictatorship. No matter how bad an elected government may be, citizens have the liberty to hold and express their personal or even collective opinions. Their feelings of neglect can also be assuaged by their conviction that they can bring to a halt an insensitive government in the next election, with the power of their voters’ cards.
On Saturday (Orie) 16th January, 2027, the people of Nigeria, that is registered voters, will be in their respective polling units to cast their votes to elect Nigeria’s President, Senators, and Members of the House of Representatives. Three weeks later, Saturday (Afor) 6th February, 2027, they will file out to make their preferences known on who governs them in their respective States, and also who represents their respective State Constituencies in their respective State Houses of Assembly. That is democracy!
In Abia State, it is expected that no less than three Political Parties; All Progressives Congress, APC, Labour Party, and Peoples Democratic Party will be visibly involved in the elections, especially the All Progressives Congress that has Candidates in all the elections.
On the issue of Presidential Election, taking into consideration the bold reforms President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made, which have ended up tripling financial allocations of State Governments, and those of Local Government Councils, though in Abia State there is no evidence of tripled statutory revenue allocations to the Local Government Councils, it is hoped that President Tinubu will have a comfortable lead in the State. It is also hoped that the National Assembly Candidates of APC in the State will do very well in the elections of 16th January, 2027.
What is now expected of the Candidates of APC in the State is to develop and put to use a spirit of team work. Their campaigns should be characterized by collectivity and inclusiveness.
A Senatorial Candidate campaigning in his district should not only campaign for himself but should equally campaign for the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Governorship Candidate of APC in Abia State, Chief Eric Chinemeucheya Opah, House of Representatives Candidates, as well as House of Assembly Candidates of APC in that Senatorial District. The Campaign should be an inclusive approach. Other Candidates in each Senatorial District should, during their Campaigns, also canvasse electoral support for the other Candidates of their Party vying for elections in 2027.
The worst embarrassment an APC Candidate, Stakeholder or even an ordinary Member of the Party can cause his or her Party is to publicly campaign against another Candidate of his Party. Take for instance, a Senatorial Candidate of APC openly asking voters in his District, while on campaign, to vote the Candidate of another Political Party for Governorship in the State, is not just a surreptitious but overt attempt to destroy the Party. Political Parties are founded on fundamental principles of law. The rules and regulations that govern Political Parties are framed in such a way that no individual can be bigger than the Party. Of course, anti Party utterances or conducts earn offending Members either Suspension or Expulsion from the Party.
Between the date of this write-up and the first round of 2027 election, there are, at least, Eighty-three days. APC Candidates in the State still have ample opportunity to harmonize whatever differences, if there is any, in order to work in synergy and collectivity, as to guarantee electoral successes in next year’s election, from Top-Bottom.
APC will be victorious in Abia State, and in Nigeria in 2027. The pettiness and mistakes of previous years that held the Party down and inconsequential because of rancour and animosity will not be its portion in 2027.
Sir Don Ubani is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State, E-registered Member of APC, and Publisher of Equity Global Reporters Ltd.
