2027: Ejembi, Nok Urge Nigerians to Make Informed Political Choices

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

The Chairman of the Eagle Brain Youth Transformative and Development Initiative, Daniel Ejembi, and founder of the Askira Movement, Tinok Andrew Nok, have called for greater citizen participation and awareness ahead of the 2027 elections.

They spoke at the Kaduna Political Awareness Summit 2026 – The Townhall, organised by the Eagle Brain Youth Transformative and Development Initiative with the theme, “Relax! Nigerians Are Taking Over.”

Ejembi said the summit was organised to sensitise communities on the importance of their votes and encourage citizens to make decisions based on the development needs of their communities.

He warned voters against allowing temporary material inducements to determine their electoral choices.

“If their vote does not count, this cup of rice and ₦5,000 or ₦2,000 given to them does not matter. It matters because their vote counts, and that was why they are trying to buy their conscience,” Elembi said.

He urged communities and young people to scrutinise the records of political leaders and reject candidates whose performances did not meet their expectations.

According to him, citizens should be prepared to endure short-term hardship rather than exchange their votes for money that could not sustain them throughout an elected government’s tenure.

“I have told them, look, they need to understand that sacrificing hunger for two or three days and enjoying the benefits for four years is better, because ₦2,000 today cannot sustain you for the next four years,” he said.

Ejembi also raised concerns over alleged non-execution of constituency projects, saying there were petitions concerning projects that had not been implemented.

“As I speak to you, there are various petitions against constituency projects that have not been executed, including constituency projects that have not been done,” he said.

He said his organisation was also supporting some people affected by economic hardship through interventions aimed at strengthening their small businesses.

According to him, some beneficiaries were being provided with deep freezers, while others involved in businesses such as akara and moi-moi needed small amounts of capital to reduce their dependence on purchasing beans and cooking oil on credit.

“We are not politicians, but we will tell you: this is how we can help you,” he said.

Explaining the summit’s theme, Ejembi said the phrase “Relax! Nigerians Are Taking Over” was intended to challenge the idea that citizens should simply wait for the government to solve the country’s problems.

“When some people say, ‘Relax, Tinubu is fixing this country,’ I tell them, no: ‘Relax, in 2027, Nigerians will be taking over the leadership of this country,’ because we will reject the bad politicians among us; we will reject the bad governance among us,” he said.

He added that citizens needed to move beyond rhetoric and take action to demand accountable leadership.

“This is a time for action. It’s not a time for rhetoric. It’s a time for real action. The real job just starts now, and we will not relent,” Ejembi said.

Speaking separately, Nok, who delivered a keynote address on the impact of women in politics, said women remained an important force in the political process because of their influence and numerical strength.

“The importance, of course, of women cannot be overemphasized, especially with respect to the influence women have and, of course, the numbers. As we all know that politics is a game of numbers, and, yeah, so we’re leveraging on that,” she said.

Nok, however, cautioned against encouraging women to participate in politics without understanding the implications of their choices.

She said women should not simply be encouraged to vote or participate blindly but should understand what they were getting themselves into, particularly regarding the developmental consequences of political decisions.

“But even at that, we’re also not just advising them, encouraging them to just vote blindly or participate in politics blindly, but they should also be aware of what they are getting themselves into with respect to the developmental aspects of the political space,” she said.

Nok said women’s participation in politics had improved compared with the past, when many women were less visible or active in political activities.

“There was a time that women were not even coming around when it has to do with politics, and even when they do, they don’t participate. Now you see women actively participating in politics,” she said.

She acknowledged that the progress had been gradual, saying, “the journey has been long and slow, but we’re not where we used to be.”

Nok, who disclosed that she contested the 2023 election under the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, clarified that she was not contesting in the forthcoming election.