Against the backdrop of 2023 general polls, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Professor Antonia Taiye Simbine, on Thursday charged candidates of political parties to ensure that their campaigns are issue-based, problems solving and devoid of provocative utterances.
She contended that manifestos and campaigns of political parties must be actionable and tailored towards the most pressing national challenges and most importantly, the development and socio-economic growth of the country.
Simbine gave the charge in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, at a roundtable event titled: “Manifestos and Issue-based Political Campaigns for Nigeria’s 2023 general elections.”
She stated: “It is a fact that some politicians, over time, have been known for engaging in pointless, unrealistic promises, mudslinging and provocative rhetoric (even against the Independent National Electoral Commission’s guidelines), rather than basing their campaigns on critical issues of national interest.
“Such misguided and futile campaigns will not help us as a nation. There is every need, therefore, that political actors concentrate on problem-solving and deviate from these types of campaigns in the interest of the country that they seek to lead.”
While explaining that political parties represent critical structures for the stability of the democratic systems in any country, Simbine maintained that “they are essential democratic governance institutions, positioned to translate government policies into sustainable development and economic growth for the country.
According to her, “in any political system, activities, decisions and ideological leanings of political parties may either make or mar its national development. This is particularly so for developing countries such as Nigeria, where quality governance has been a key challenge, among other major issues.”
In his keynote address, NISER’s head of the Political and Governance Policy Department, Professor F.O.N Roberts hinted that “critical examination of the manifestos of the selected 10 political parties in terms of their targets on the various challenges the country is currently facing, revealed that, while some manifestos could set clear and achievable targets that, if religiously pursued, could turn the situation around for good, others were woefully lacking in this regard.”
He submitted that most of the manifestos of political parties were deficient in like, which was not mentioned as a component of their deliverables to the country if elected, stressing that “no matter how lofty an idea, effective leadership is required to steer the ship and bring all dreams and aspirations to fruition.”
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