Stakeholders in Nigeria’s political space have called on voters, civil society organisations (CSOs), and the media to shift their attention toward state elections, warning that the overwhelming focus on presidential contests undermines governance at the sub-national level.
Participants in a recent political discussion noted that the intense national interest in the presidency often leaves governorship and state legislative races in the shadows. This imbalance, they argued, prevents meaningful scrutiny of the leaders who hold direct responsibility for local security, infrastructure, and social services.
The call for increased engagement was made during a discussion regarding the direction of Nigerian politics.
Accountability at the sub-national level
The experts suggested that while the presidency captures most of the media’s bandwidth, the decisions made by state governors and local lawmakers have a more immediate impact on the daily lives of citizens. When media coverage and public discourse are concentrated solely on the federal level, the accountability mechanisms for state-level leaders are weakened.
The presidentialization of Nigerian politics, the guests argued, creates a vacuum of scrutiny. By treating state elections as secondary to the presidential race, news organisations risk leaving a significant portion of the electorate uninformed about the individuals who manage state budgets and implement local policies.
Civil society organisations were also urged to lead the charge in voter education. The guests argued that CSOs must develop strategies to sensitise voters on the importance of choosing competent leaders at the state and local government levels, rather than merely following the high-octane drama of the presidential election cycle.
The lack of attention to state-level politics contributes to political apathy and allows for the emergence of leadership that lacks a clear mandate for local development. Addressing this requires a concerted effort from all democratic actors to ensure that the political conversation extends beyond the presidency to include the entirety of the electoral process.
Observers are now looking toward how CSOs and media houses will integrate these recommendations into their upcoming election coverage and advocacy programmes.
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