The declaration by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would control 30 states by 2026 should remind Nigerians that political cross-carpeting may dominate the headlines, but it does little to improve citizens’ lives.
Development Diaries reports that Minister Idris recently expressed confidence that Nigeria will have 30 APC-controlled states by 2026, as more opposition governors have indicated interest in joining the ruling party.
While the ruling party celebrates expanding its reach, citizens are still grappling with biting inflation, rising unemployment, and failing public services.
The real concern should be whether those in power are delivering on promises, not which party they belong to.
If the essence of democracy is to improve lives, then expanding party control without improving citizens’ welfare is hardly progress.
For a country where over 63 percent of citizens live in multidimensional poverty according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), where unemployment remains high, where the cost of living is at its highest, where people can barely afford their basic needs anymore due to inflation, the obsession with political expansion feels misplaced.
The real measure of governance should not be how many states a party controls but how many lives it improves.
Nigerians want functioning schools, stable electricity, and affordable healthcare, not endless political realignments. Leaders should remember that legitimacy comes from service, not slogans.
To this end, citizens must stay alert and discerning. The political drama unfolding is not about them, it is about power, control, and preservation of influence.
Politicians may plan for 30 states, but the people must plan for a better country, one vote, one voice, and one demand for accountability at a time.
As the 2027 elections draw closer, Nigerians must stay alert and engaged. Citizens should carefully assess candidates based on their track records, not party logos or political slogans.
Citizens must also question leaders on how they plan to improve lives, create jobs, strengthen democracy, and protect public trust.
