By: Hon. Toyin Anibire Adams (aka Obailukan)
Founder and Convener, Obailukan Strategic Support Group for Atiku (OSSAT)
Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, Nigeria has not been the same again. For millions of Nigerians, the economic hardship that followed has become a daily battle for survival. The cost of food, transportation, electricity, healthcare, and other basic necessities has risen sharply, while the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians continues to decline. Families that once managed to put food on the table are now struggling to provide even the most basic necessities.
Nigerians are suffering. The question Nigerians must ask ahead of the 2027 general election is simple: After more than three years of the Tinubu administration, are Nigerians genuinely better off? Economic reforms cannot be judged only by government statistics or official pronouncements. They must also be judged by what people experience in their homes, markets, businesses, and workplaces. In a country where parents struggle to feed their children, young people struggle to find decent jobs, businesses battle increasing costs, and workers watch their salaries lose value, citizens cannot simply be told to keep enduring without asking questions.
Beyond the economic crisis is the persistent problem of insecurity. Banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and other violent crimes have continued to threaten Nigerians in different parts of the country. Farmers have been unable to access their farms in some communities. Travellers fear kidnapping on major roads. Families continue to live with the anxiety that their loved ones could become victims of criminal attacks.
The political history of Nigeria’s insecurity also deserves serious examination. The escalation of the Boko Haram insurgency was already a major national security crisis during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, while banditry and mass kidnapping later became increasingly prominent security threats. There have also been political allegations and competing narratives about the origins and motives behind these security challenges. But regardless of who Nigerians believe is responsible for the initial escalation, one fact remains undeniable: Successive administrations have failed to eradicate insecurity completely.
That raises an important question for the APC administration: If insecurity has remained such a serious national problem for years, why has it not been decisively defeated? Nigerians have changed governments. They have changed presidents. They have listened to promises of security and prosperity. Yet too many citizens still live with fear. The responsibility of government is not merely to explain why problems exist. It is to solve them.
The 2027 election must, therefore, be more than another political contest. It must be a referendum on performance, accountability, and the direction of the country. Nigerians must look beyond ethnic and religious sentiments and ask what kind of country they want to build. They must examine the economy, security, employment, infrastructure, education, and the general welfare of citizens before deciding who deserves their votes.
If the current administration has not convinced Nigerians that it deserves another term, then Nigerians have the constitutional right to seek an alternative. And that alternative must be someone capable of providing a different direction for the country.
For those who believe Nigeria needs a change of leadership in 2027, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar represents that alternative. His experience in national politics and his long-standing ambition for the presidency are reasons to give him another opportunity to lead Nigeria. Ultimately, however, the decision belongs to Nigerians.
The 2027 election should be about the future of the country, not political loyalty, propaganda, or personality worship. Nigerians must vote for the candidate they believe can deliver security, economic opportunity, accountable governance, and a better quality of life. If Nigerians want a different direction in 2027, then the time has come to seriously consider Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed:
Comrade James Onifade
Media Executive,
Office of the Obailukan Strategic Support Group for Atiku (OSSAT)
