Nigerian Parties Master Election Strategies, But Fail to Govern, Says Arise News Director
ISSN: 2354-4481
By Nnate Philip Obika
FCT, ABUJA- Nigerian political parties have become highly manipulative organisations focused more on winning elections than preparing to govern effectively, Director of News at Arise News, Sumner Sambo, has said.
Sambo made the remarks while reflecting on Nigeria’s political culture and the recurring disconnect between electoral victories and improved living conditions for citizens.
According to him, political parties in the country have become increasingly sophisticated in developing strategies for securing electoral victories, but often pay little attention to the responsibilities that come with occupying public office.
He argued that the intense competition among political parties is frequently centred on how to acquire and retain political power rather than how to develop policies capable of addressing the country’s economic and social challenges.
Sambo said Nigerian politicians have mastered strategies that enable them to secure electoral victories, including practices associated with manipulating the electoral process. However, he maintained that the same level of planning and determination is rarely seen when it comes to delivering effective governance after elections.
He noted that despite the enormous resources deployed during election campaigns, ordinary Nigerians often see little improvement in their standard of living once a new administration assumes office.
The Arise News director’s comments come amid renewed public debate over Nigeria’s political system, particularly concerns about the quality of governance, accountability and the capacity of political parties to translate campaign promises into tangible development.
Sambo also referenced comments made by the presidential candidate of the New Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, during a recent panel discussion.
Obi, according to Sambo, was particularly critical of the political class and its approach to governance, arguing that the pursuit of political power has increasingly taken precedence over the welfare of citizens.
The criticism reflects a broader concern that Nigeria’s political parties frequently operate around personalities, electoral calculations and the distribution of political positions rather than clearly defined ideological programmes.
Political analysts have repeatedly argued that the strength of a democracy should not be measured solely by the ability of political parties to win elections, but also by their capacity to formulate policies, build institutions and deliver measurable improvements in citizens’ lives.
The issue has remained particularly significant in Nigeria, where successive governments have faced public criticism over unemployment, inflation, insecurity, infrastructure deficits, inadequate social services and declining purchasing power.
Sambo’s remarks therefore add to growing calls for a shift from an election-centred political culture to one that places greater emphasis on governance, accountability and measurable results.
The debate is also likely to remain prominent as political parties and aspirants begin positioning themselves ahead of future electoral contests.
For many Nigerians, the central question is no longer simply which party can win an election, but whether the party has the capacity, policies and political will to govern effectively after securing power.
Sambo’s assessment underscores the argument that electoral victory should be viewed as the beginning of a government’s responsibility to citizens rather than the ultimate objective of political participation.
Nigeria operates a multi-party democratic system in which political parties nominate candidates for elections and compete for control of federal, state and local government institutions. Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, concerns over electoral malpractice, vote buying, political defections, weak party ideology and poor governance have remained recurring themes in public discourse.
