A former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has urged Nigerians to make competence, integrity and commitment to the common good the basis of their choices in the 2027 general election.
He warned that politics was too important to be left in the hands of people without moral values and genuine commitment to service.
Fayemi, who was also Minister of Mines and Steel Development, said Nigerians must move beyond ethnicity, religion, personal interests and political sentiments in selecting leaders.
He stressed that the future of the country depended on citizens who were willing to participate actively in politics and demand accountable leadership.
The former governor spoke on Saturday while delivering a lecture titled: “Faith in Action: Empowering the Catholic Laity for Active Political Participation Ahead of the 2027 General Election,” at the September 2026 Plenary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held in Ede, Osun State.
He expressed concern over the growing distrust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions, attributing it to corruption, electoral violence, vote-buying, misinformation and the disconnect between political leadership and the everyday challenges facing citizens.
According to him, the solution was not for responsible citizens to withdraw from politics, but to engage actively and ensure that governance was driven by justice, accountability and service.
Fayemi said the 2027 elections provide Nigerians with another opportunity to strengthen democracy by electing leaders capable of addressing critical national challenges, including poverty, unemployment, insecurity, education and healthcare.
He warned that allowing ethnicity, religion or financial inducements to determine electoral choices would continue to weaken the country’s democratic development.
“The fundamental question must be which candidate and which policies are most capable of advancing human dignity, justice, peace, security, development and the common good,” Fayemi said.
He urged Nigerians, especially Christians, to participate fully in the electoral process by obtaining their voter cards, understanding candidates’ programmes, monitoring elections, resisting malpractice and holding elected officials accountable.
Follow us on:
