2027 elections: Shagari warns politicians towards character assassination, menace towards nationwide unity

Former Minister of Water Resources, Barr. Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, has appealed to politicians throughout Nigeria to embrace issue-based campaigns, decorum and accountable political engagement.

Shagari warned that the rising resort to character assassination, derogatory remarks and inflammatory rhetoric towards political opponents may undermine nationwide unity, threaten peaceable coexistence and jeopardise the peaceable conduct of the 2027 common elections.

He acknowledged this in a press assertion issued and made accessible to newsmen in Sokoto by his media aide, Comrade Musa Ubandawaki.

The former minister expressed concern over the more and more hostile tone of political discourse within the nation, notably as political actions collect momentum forward of the forthcoming elections.

He urged political leaders and their supporters to recognise that politics needs to be a contest of concepts, insurance policies, management credentials and developmental programmes, slightly than an avenue for private assaults, mudslinging, blackmail and deliberate makes an attempt to destroy the reputations of opponents.

Shagari maintained that political variations ought to by no means be allowed to degenerate into private hostility able to dividing communities, deepening ethnic and non secular suspicions, or creating pointless pressure amongst residents who share frequent nationwide pursuits.

According to him, “Politicians must learn to play the game with decorum, maturity and a high sense of responsibility. Democracy thrives on constructive engagement, healthy competition and the presentation of alternative ideas, not on derogatory statements, character assassination and deliberate attempts to malign political opponents.”

He additional cautioned that reckless political utterances, notably from influential political figures, may have far-reaching penalties past electoral contests, stressing that inflammatory statements have the potential to impress supporters, heighten political pressure and set the nation on a harmful path of division and instability.

Shagari subsequently, referred to as on political events, candidates, marketing campaign organisations and their spokespersons to make problems with governance, financial restoration, safety, schooling, healthcare, infrastructure and employment the centrepiece of their campaigns, slightly than participating in private assaults that provide no significant options to the challenges confronting Nigerians.

The former minister additionally reminded political actors that elections are short-term contests, whereas Nigeria stays a everlasting collective heritage that should be protected by all residents, regardless of their political affiliations, ethnic backgrounds or spiritual beliefs.

He urged political leaders to show statesmanship by inserting the nation’s peace, unity and stability above private ambitions and partisan pursuits.

Shagari, who’s the chairman governing board of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), appealed to stakeholders to advertise mutual respect, tolerance and accountable political communication, warning that no political ambition is price sacrificing the hard-earned peace and unity of the nation.

He burdened that the power of Nigeria’s democracy would finally be measured not by the bitterness of political contests, however by the maturity, civility and patriotism demonstrated by these in search of public workplace.