ARISE News analyst Dayo Sobowale has urged presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 general election to move beyond campaign promises and present practical solutions to Nigeria’s pressing challenges, particularly insecurity, education and economic hardship.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Monday while reacting to Peter Obi’s proposed governance blueprint for Nigeria, Sobowale said Nigerians were already familiar with the country’s challenges and should now be told exactly how candidates intend to address them.
“Let them give us a programme on how they will fix problems on the ground, nagging problems, not theorise our governors. Everybody can write a script for any of them in that regard. That does not give them credibility. Those are promises”
Sobowale said while he appreciated Obi’s commitment to implementing his plans within a single four-year term, similar promises had been made by previous presidential candidates.
“I like his spirit, and the fact that he said he can achieve it in four years. That’s forward-looking, proactive, and I wish him the best.”
He, however, emphasized that campaign promises alone were no longer enough to convince Nigerians.
“There’s nothing he has said he will do that all the presidential candidates have not at one time or the other said, and yet we are still neck-deep in the problems we have all along.”
According to Sobowale, insecurity remains Nigeria’s most urgent challenge and should be addressed with clear, actionable policies rather than broad declarations.
“The insecurity you mentioned is there. It’s paramount. It’s paramount, and it is distributed geographically.”
He also called for practical reforms that would improve citizens’ welfare through food security, healthcare, education and economic opportunities.
“Reforms to bring food to the table for people, to make health care available, make education affordable and available.”
Sobowale further urged those seeking elective office to prioritise a few key national issues and explain how they would realistically deliver results.
“Whoever is coming, pick one, two, three issues and tell us how we will fix it. Not theorise like we are doing a PhD for political science. I want pragmatic programmes.”
He concluded that Nigerians should judge presidential candidates not by ambitious declarations but by the practicality and credibility of their proposed solutions.
Ojo Triumph
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