Nigeria’s political landscape remains plagued by ambition-driven maneuvering, often at the expense of governance, says political analyst Cheta Nwanze.
Speaking on the state of the country’s politics, Nwanze criticised the premature focus on future elections, particularly the speculation around 2027 and 2031.
“We are less than two years into the current government, but we’re already politicking for 2027, and then 2031. 2031 is six and a half years away, and that’s what we’re already planning for. That tells you a lot that is wrong with this country in terms of the way we run our politics. Nobody’s really talking about governance,”he remarked.
Addressing recent statements made by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Nwanze warned against taking the politician’s words at face value.
“When El-Rufai, being a Nigerian politician, when he speaks, if he tells you good morning, you have to check your clock to be sure it’s morning,” he quipped, highlighting the necessity of fact-checking political assertions.
Despite his skepticism toward El-Rufai’s political rhetoric, Nwanze acknowledged that, in terms of performance, the former minister stood out compared to his successors.
“There’s no argument that ever since El-Rufai left the seat of power in Abuja as a minister, it has been downhill. There has not been, until Nyesom Wike, in terms of infrastructure—building stuff and knocking stuff down—there has been no minister. All the ministers that stood between El-Rufai and Wike were terrible. So, in a bad lot, he was heads and shoulders above everybody.”
However, on the claim that Nuhu Ribadu, the current National Security Adviser, harbours presidential ambitions for 2031, Nwanze conceded that the allegation is not far-fetched.
“There’s no Nigerian politician worth his salt that doesn’t have an ambition. So for people to come and deny that on behalf of Nuhu Ribadu, that’s being deceitful,” he said.
Beyond political ambition, Nwanze pointed out the persistent governance failures affecting everyday Nigerians, even citing his personal experience with electricity shortages.
