A senior lecturer at Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, Prof. Eugene Nweke, has said candidate credibility, integrity and competence are increasingly influencing voters’ decisions ahead of the 2027 general elections, rather than political party affiliation.
Nweke, who spoke with journalists in Abakaliki on Monday while assessing Nigeria’s evolving political landscape, said the electorate was gradually moving away from blind loyalty to political parties. According to him, voters are becoming more willing to support candidates across party lines when they believe such individuals have the capacity and credibility to provide effective leadership.
The university don said the development represented a significant shift in Nigeria’s political culture, noting that politicians could no longer depend solely on party structures and traditional loyalties to secure electoral support.
“The citizens have become wiser. The electorate can now cast their votes across party lines where they find a candidate they consider more credible. People are gradually outgrowing blind partisanship and are looking for alternatives, credibility, integrity and capacity.”
Nweke stressed that being a member of a political party was different from choosing a candidate to support during an election. He said citizens were constitutionally entitled to associate with or vote for candidates of their choice, regardless of their party membership.
He also weighed in on the debate surrounding zoning, power rotation and power sharing, describing them as political arrangements rather than constitutional requirements. He explained that political parties could adopt different strategies, including zoning, competence, integrity or service delivery, depending on what they believed would appeal to voters.
According to him, the key consideration in politics should be the benefits citizens derive from governance, rather than where a political leader comes from.
Nweke argued that political leadership should ultimately be assessed by its impact on citizens and the quality of governance delivered. He questioned the value of zoning when it does not translate into improved living conditions, development and other tangible dividends of democracy.
He added that the absence of zoning provisions in the Constitution did not make the political arrangement illegal, explaining that parties remained free to adopt strategies and conventions that guide their electoral contests.
The EBSU lecturer, however, warned that political strategies must not take precedence over good governance, accountability and citizens’ welfare.
Speaking on political violence ahead of the 2027 elections, Nweke condemned attacks involving politicians, supporters and journalists, describing political violence as unacceptable in a democratic society.
He called on political parties, government institutions, security agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to work together to prevent violence and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
Nweke warned that unchecked political violence could escalate into a broader security crisis, leaving lasting consequences for communities even after elections had ended.
He maintained that political disagreements should not result in attacks or killings, stressing that politicians and citizens could belong to different parties at different times without becoming enemies.
As Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections, Nweke said the growing political awareness among voters would likely make personal records, credibility, integrity and capacity increasingly important factors in determining electoral choices.
He therefore urged political aspirants and elected officials to focus on earning the trust of Nigerians by demonstrating accountability and delivering measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.
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