Nigeria’s governorship seats have become a tragic comedy of errors, where the worst elements of society, touts, thugs, illiterates, sycophants, and outright criminals, now compete fiercely for power, not to serve the people, but to loot and oppress.
An office that once symbolized leadership, vision, and development has been reduced to a cash-grabbing enterprise where merit is irrelevant and the people’s will is an afterthought.
As we coast toward 2027, desperation for governorship positions has reached an all-time high.
The reason is simple: In Nigeria, governors wield near-absolute control over state resources with minimal checks. They control local government funds, award contracts at will, pocket massive security votes, and manipulate state security forces to suppress dissent.
The result?
A parade of mediocrity that has left most Nigerian states impoverished, infrastructurally devastated, and their citizens in perpetual despair.
The Era of Unqualified and Unprepared Governors
Gone are the days when governorship candidates were technocrats, experienced administrators, or respected community leaders.
Today, three factors dominate governorship contests:
1. Access to Stolen Money:
Elections are won by the highest bidder, not the best candidate.
2. Elite Connections:
Political godfathers handpick stooges to do their bidding rather than serve the people.
3. Violence and Intimidation:
Thuggery and electoral violence are normalized tools for winning power.
Examples of the Rot:
Corruption Cases:
According to EFCC data, at least 14 former governors are under investigation or prosecution for looting state funds, with some accused of stealing over ₦100 billion each.
Fake or Questionable Credentials:
While the Constitution requires only a secondary school certificate, many governors have been exposed for certificate forgeries or lack any verifiable professional competence.
Performance Failures:
A 2022 BudgIT report showed that 28 out of 36 Nigerian states failed to meet basic benchmarks for infrastructure, education, and healthcare development.
The Devastating Effects of Mediocre Leadership
1. Collapse of Infrastructure
Mediocre leadership has resulted in states littered with abandoned, substandard, or failed projects:
Rivers State’s Woji-Alesa-Refinery Road failed shortly after construction.
Imo State’s Nekede-Ihiagwa-Obinze Road collapsed less than two years after completion.
Kano’s multi-billion-naira underpass developed dangerous cracks within a year.
Lagos’s Pen Cinema Bridge dragged on for years, betraying initial promises of swift delivery.
World Bank estimates that Nigeria loses over $15 billion annually to poor infrastructure, much of it linked to state-level corruption and incompetence.
2. Rising Poverty and Unemployment
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) reveals that states like Sokoto, Taraba, and Jigawa have poverty rates exceeding 80%, while governors waste billions on luxury convoys and overseas trips.
3. Collapse of Education and Healthcare
Over 20 million Nigerian children are out of school (UBEC report, 2023), with northern states like Kano, Zamfara, and Katsina leading the statistics.
Hospitals remain death traps, forcing ordinary citizens to rely on prayer while politicians jet abroad for treatment.
4. Security Breakdown
Insecurity festers where governors mismanage resources.
States like Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger are overrun by bandits, yet security votes, estimated between ₦500 million and ₦1 billion monthly per state, remain unaccounted for.
The Elite Conspiracy: How Governors Are Imposed on the People
True democracy has been subverted by a conspiracy of the political elite, who install stooges through:
Godfatherism:
Figures like Tinubu (Lagos) and Wike (Rivers) are known for imposing loyal successors.
Judicial Manipulation:
Some governors, despite losing at the polls, are installed by courts, often through questionable judicial gymnastics.
Violence and Voter Suppression:
In elections across Kano, Rivers, and Edo, armed thugs disrupted voting and intimidated voters.
Can Nigeria Reverse This Decline Before 2027?
If Nigeria is to avert another disastrous cycle of misgovernance, urgent actions must be taken:
1. Strict Eligibility Laws
Raise the minimum educational and administrative qualification for governorship.
Enforce comprehensive background checks to verify claims and expose fraudulent certificates.
2. Independent Oversight
State Audit Offices must operate independently of Governors’ offices.
Regular financial audits should be mandatory and made public.
3. Citizen Action
Voters must reject money politics and insist on merit.
Civil society must intensify grassroots voter education and anti-corruption advocacy.
Breaking the Cycle of Failed Leadership: The Way Forward
Strengthen Electoral Integrity
Mandatory Electronic Voting & Real-time Result Transmission:
BVAS technology showed promise but failed due to poor implementation in 2023. For 2027, full transparency must be non-negotiable.
Severe Punishment for Electoral Fraud:
Disqualify and prosecute perpetrators to deter future malpractice.
Mandatory Debates and Public Scrutiny:
Force candidates to publicly defend their ideas and records.
Financial Reforms to Curb Looting
Abolish Security Votes:
Redirect funds into traceable and accountable security budgets.
State Fiscal Responsibility Laws:
Every transaction must be independently audited and subject to public review.
Public Asset Declaration and Monitoring:
Governors must transparently declare their assets before, during, and after office.
Empower the Judiciary and Anti-Corruption Agencies
Special Courts for Corruption Cases:
Fast-track prosecution of former governors within 12 months.
Independence for EFCC and ICPC:
These agencies must be removed from executive interference and funded directly by the National Assembly.
Mobilize Civil Society and Media
Investigative Journalism:
Media must consistently expose non-performing Governors.
Performance Scorecards:
Annual independent performance reports must be published, ranked, and widely disseminated before elections.
Case Studies: When Good Leadership Works
Examples show that good governance is still possible:
Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos State):
Expanded rail infrastructure, major road projects, and upgraded healthcare systems.
Seyi Makinde (Oyo State):
Prioritized education and healthcare, cut wasteful spending, and improved the state’s IGR.
Dauda Lawal (Zamfara State):
Cleared backlogs of salaries and revitalized closed schools despite huge security challenges.
Ultimately: Will 2027 Be Different?
The upcoming 2027 elections offer Nigeria yet another opportunity to correct decades of misrule.
If citizens continue to sell their votes, remain passive, or accept godfather-imposed candidates, the collapse of Nigerian states will only accelerate.
Nigeria deserves better. Nigerians must demand better.
The time to act is now, before another auction of our future takes place in the name of democracy.
By Hon. Chimazuru Nnadi-Oforgu
Duruebube Uzii na Abosi
OBLONG MEDIA UNLIMITED 
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