An Article by Ajibola Oladiipo, 2025 EPLF Fellow
Campaign seasons in Nigeria have always fascinated me. Since my debut in 2003, I have never missed one. They are theatres of drama, often resembling the legendary sitcom Fuji House of Commotion. Parties and their candidates march out in colourful processions, making grand promises: boreholes in wards, jobs for every youth, roads to every village. The applause is loud, the hope is high. Yet, once the ballots are counted and victory songs fade, citizens are left with a familiar emptiness. Promises evaporate, and the cycle of disappointment fuels the deep voter apathy haunting our democracy.
Breaking this cycle requires leaders who will move beyond just selling their visions to co-creating commitments with the people. This is where the idea of a pre-election social contract becomes crucial. It is not a legal document but a living pact between candidates and citizens. One shaped collectively, documented publicly, and tracked openly. Rather than declaring, “Here is what I will do for you,” leaders should ask, “What shall we do together, and how will we hold each other to it?”
Trust sits at the heart of this contract. It is a moral obligation. I learnt of the belief system of some of our old political leaders who believed that “if we can share a meal, then you wouldn’t betray my trust” Today, the burden is heavier: leaders must demonstrate credibility through transparent action.
Promises without community buy-in rarely endure but when people are deliberately engaged in setting priorities, it helps them see projects beyond the scope of some bestowed gifts. That sense of ownership is what guarantees sustainability.
In 2015, Kaduna piloted community scorecards in health centres, letting citizens rate services and suggest improvements. If political aspirants embraced such tools before elections, their agendas would reflect real needs, not turanshi.
Democracy works best with active citizenship. And at its core, a social contract rests on three pillars: listening as part of legitimacy, co-creation as commitment, and accountability from day one. This means candidates walking the streets, joining traders at dawn, visiting farms, and quietly attending ward meetings; not just to campaign, but to listen and act accordingly. Governor Lam Adesina once kept a public diary of constituency visits and responses. Today’s aspirants can go further, publishing m
easurable commitments both online and offline to show that service begins before elections.
Skeptics may argue politics moves too fast for such investments. But leaders who take time to forge genuine, co-owned commitments enter office with enough moral capital and political cover all on the platter of a social contract. A social contract agreed before the polls will become a compass in the noise of governance and a shield against expediency.
Nigerians deserve better than a political sitcom staged by leaders who remember the people only before they taste victory. Trust must rest not on the lone voice of a candidate, but on the collective chorus of a people who have been heard and know they will be heard again.
Note: These are all our fellow’s thoughts.
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