By Augustine Akhilomen
With the January 16, 2027 general elections drawing closer, a familiar anxiety hangs over Nigeria’s political landscape, with most Nigerians still undecided on who to vote for at the presidential elections. Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of presidential candidates and campaign drums are beating louder, a crucial document remains conspicuously absent: comprehensive, fully detailed party manifestos.
While major contenders have spent months tossing policy positions back and forth across television interviews, radio broadcasts, and social media soundbites, a coherent and binding blueprint for the nation’s future is yet to be formally unveiled by most camps. Instead, the electorate is being fed a diet of reactive rhetoric.
On key survival issues like the removal of the petrol subsidy and the steep slide of the Naira, candidates are content to critique incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms or offer broad, generalized alternatives. While these soundbites provide a glimpse into political instincts, they are far from a manifesto.
A true manifesto is more than a campaign pamphlet or a collection of populist promises, it is a social contract outlining implementation methods, funding sources, and expected trade-offs. Without it, voters are forced to choose blind.
The current situation is far different from what obtained in the Second Republic when the various political parties are identified with what they have in their manifestoes. While the Unity party of Nigeria (UPN) was known for free education and free health, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was known for the Green Revolution. As it is, it is quite difficult for voters to decipher what the ruling APC represents from the opposition parties like ADC or NDC.
Expert Insight: An “Unusual Situation”
Speaking to ThePledge, political analyst Segun Alade highlighted how starkly different the current climate is compared to previous electoral cycles, noting that voters are usually well-acquainted with candidate blueprints by this stage:
“It’s so sad that most of the presidential candidates are yet to show Nigerians their manifestoes with just a few months to the election,” Alade stated. “Unlike in the past, by now we would have known what they intend to offer Nigerians. Well, we can only keep our fingers crossed and watch as the whole situation pans out. This is an unusual situation.”
Echoing similar sentiments, fellow analyst Akinyemi Badmus suggested that the missing documents might reflect a calculated strategy to avoid premature scrutiny, despite policy snippets trickling out through media channels: Strategic Silence or Risk Management?
“I want to believe that the delay in the manifestoes may be intentional from the various candidates because many of them know what is at stake,” Badmus remarked.
“At least, we have been seeing a few of what they want to do on the pages of newspapers, online, and other platforms. “The Core Issue: “The manifesto is a key component because it gives the people an idea of what each presidential candidate is planning to offer once they are in power. I really feel worried with this continuous delay.
Policy Battlegrounds: Where the Candidates Stand
President Tinubu’s hallmark policy decisions—most notably the immediate removal of the petrol subsidy at his May 2023 inauguration and the unification of the foreign exchange system—have fundamentally reshaped the economic debate. While the administration defends these steps as necessary to halt public resource drain and attract investment, 2027 presidential hopefuls remain sharply divided on the path forward.
Fuel Subsidies & Energy Costs
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the (ADC): He argues that citizens have not reaped tangible benefits from savings and pledges to restore the subsidy while prosecuting and closing past leakages.
Omoyele Sowore of the (AAC): Proposes maintaining targeted support for vulnerable Nigerians alongside aggressive anti-corruption measures in the petroleum sector.
Donald Duke of the (PRP): Focuses on local refining capacity to lower petroleum product prices sustainably.
Peter Obi of the (NDC): Supports subsidy removal to curb waste, but emphasizes that savings must be directly channeled into productive sectors.
Adewole Adebayo of the (SDP): Promises to lower prices for petrol, cooking gas, and aviation fuel by reviving state and modular refineries.
Naira Devaluation & Exchange Rates
Peter Obi: Advocates retaining a market-driven exchange rate system while demanding tighter coordination between monetary and fiscal policies.
Atiku and Sowore strongly criticize the heavy social and economic costs of the currency collapse, blaming unchecked government borrowing and spending.
Taxes, Import Duties, and Trade
Atiku Abubakar: Advocates reopening land borders and developing southern ports to ease trade and curb smuggling.
Peter Obi: Calls for an urgent review of “arbitrary” and high customs duties to lower business costs.
Adewole Adebayo: Envisions a four-year industrialization plan centered on reliable energy and local manufacturing to achieve self-sufficiency.
What is at Stake in 2027?
The mounting debate over the administration’s economic roadmap highlights a fundamental choice for the electorate: whether to reverse key reform pillars or retain them while fundamentally altering their implementation.
As full manifestos eventually roll out, the candidates’ differing stances will provide the definitive preview of the economic battles ahead.
Until these visionaries translate their media interviews into binding policy frameworks, however, the question every Nigerian should be asking remains: If they are ready to govern Aso Rock, where is the blueprint to prove it?
For now and with a few weeks to the all-important presidential elections, all fingers are crossed while voters await concrete and explicit manifestoes from the major political parties. This will go a long way in shaping conversation in the public space and also help the electorate to decide who to vote for.