Events of the past few weeks in Nigeria’s governance structure can be used as a case study for classes in how political leaders mismanagement political promise.
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Instances ranging from bad monetary policies, inadequate provisions for security, ignoring the sins of terrorist-affiliated government officials, and favouritism of one ethnic group over another. A promise is regarded as a performative act, one which may be fulfilled or not. But in governance domains, a political promise is the political appeal and popularity which an individual who has vied for an elective position could bank on at any point in time after getting into power. If a politician gets into power by the strength of their manifesto, they better stick to doing what their manifesto states or their backers, comprising ordinary people, could withdraw their support. The electorate may soon withdraw their support of an individual they helped vote into power once they spot their political representatives are misbehaving when adherence to governance principles are considered. It is for the reason of losing political promise that politicians get impeached or recalled from office. To lose political promise is to lose popularity. We have seen instances of people who were once massively voted into power and the same electorate who voted them in, turned against them once the hubris of political power begins to affect them.
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How to lose political appeal is to constantly turn against the wishes of the people. How to lose political promise and destroy one’s legacy as a politician is to incessantly deny the principles and statutes which brought them into an office or political power in the first place. In Nigeria, the government at the Federal stage has gone tone-deaf. Pressure groups, mass protests, boycotts, and criticism which are tools used by the people to guide a government whenever they are erring no longer means anything to the politicians. The political jobbers have turned deaf ears to the plight of the people. The falcon no longer hears the falconer. This is how the Muhammadu Buhari administration has lost popularity even long before his 2nd term in office ends in 2023. A politician will lose political appeal if they are always doing what satisfies them rather than what will ease the burden and pressure on people’s lives. Many political leaders have destroyed the credibility they built over years just by being obsessed with power and feeling of superiority above other people who voted for them. And how not to lose political promise is to always do the right things in the service of the people at the proper times. Featured Image Source: African Arguments
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