A Port Harcourt-based human rights lawyer, Barrister Henry Ekine, has expressed concern that Nigerians are not adequately prepared for the 2027 general elections, citing a lack of clarity among citizens on what they expect from political leaders.
Ekine, who serves as the National Legal Adviser of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), made this known in an interview with our correspondent. He noted that the inability of citizens to define their expectations has continued to give political leaders undue advantage.
According to him, “I’m not sure that we are prepared. I’m not even sure that we know exactly what we want from these leaders, and that is why leaders take advantage of the weakness of the people.”
He stressed that as political parties begin their internal processes, including congresses, conventions, and primaries, Nigerians risk ending up with unqualified candidates if they fail to actively participate in the system.
“By law, only political parties can sponsor candidates. So whoever they present, whether through consensus or primaries, is who Nigerians will eventually elect,” he said.
The legal practitioner urged citizens to become actively involved in political parties, noting that such participation would enable them to influence party manifestos, policies, and candidate selection.
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He described the current level of political engagement among Nigerians as disturbing, adding that many citizens have abandoned party politics while still expecting good governance outcomes.
Ekine also drew parallels with Nigeria’s transition to civilian rule in 1999, arguing that the failure of activists at the time to prepare credible leadership alternatives allowed entrenched political actors to dominate the system.
“As long as citizens remain passive and refuse to engage politically, the same set of individuals will continue to control the political space,” he said.
He, however, maintained that it is not too late for Nigerians to change the narrative by getting involved in party politics and contributing to leadership selection processes.
“It is time for citizens to stop standing on the sidelines. If you are not part of a political party, you have limited influence over who emerges as a candidate,” he added.
Ekine concluded that without deliberate efforts by citizens to shape the political process, the country may once again head into elections unprepared.
