Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

A public affairs commentator, Mahdi Shehu, has urged Nigerians to exercise greater caution and thoughtfulness in selecting their leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a post shared on X on Monday, Shehu advised voters not to be influenced by catchy campaign slogans, religious sentiments, or public displays of piety by politicians.

“As 2027 elections get closer, it will be important that voters are given a pro bono advisory,” he said.

He called on citizens to engage in deep reflection before deciding who to support.

He warned that many political slogans can be misleading.

“Don’t be carried away by slogans, because almost all party slogans are deceptive and a trap to lure voters,” he said.

Shehu also cautioned against voting along religious lines, noting that such appeals may not accurately reflect the character of candidates.

“Don’t be carried away by religious claims and sentiments,” he said, adding that such actions often contradict.

He further criticised politicians who suddenly adopt visible religious practices during election periods, including attending mosques and churches with donations.

“Irrespective of party platforms, don’t be carried away by those politicians who begin to frequent Friday prayers in different mosques or Sunday services in different churches with donations,” he said

The commentator urged voters to thoroughly examine the background of candidates before offering support.

“Dig deep into their past history,” he said.

He stressed that aspirants should have no criminal convictions either in Nigeria or abroad.

He also advised Nigerians to ensure that candidates have no links to crimes such as human trafficking, organ harvesting, or drug trafficking, and that their sources of wealth are legitimate.

“Make sure that they have a clearly identified and verifiable family lineage and that their source of wealth is not rooted in fraud and such other crimes,” he added.

Shehu further warned against electing candidates with a history of neglecting their constituencies after securing electoral victory.

“Confirm that such an aspirant is not one of those who had in the past or who is likely in the future to abandon his constituency and relocate to Abuja after winning elections,” he said.

“Carry out a thorough personality and character audit. Don’t be carried away by their physical looks, mode of dressing and automobiles they parade,” he said.

In addition, he suggested that voters should insist on formal commitments from candidates.

“Pin them down to a written and enforceable Memorandum of Understanding and make a video recording of the same for rainy days,” he advised.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.