Shehu Sani’s point is both timely and valid. Nigeria’s democratic conversation is often dominated by the presidency, yet many of the policies that shape daily life are influenced by legislators at the federal and state levels.
Lawmakers are responsible for making laws, approving budgets, and overseeing the executive. When voters pay little attention to who occupies these offices, they risk electing representatives who lack competence, independence, or accountability. Over time, this weakens institutions and reduces the quality of governance.
This pattern helps explain why many Nigerians feel disconnected from their representatives. Constituents may passionately debate presidential candidates while knowing very little about those seeking to represent them in the Senate, House of Representatives, or State Houses of Assembly. The result is often poor legislative performance and limited oversight of government actions.
Sani’s comments also serve as a reminder that democracy is more than a presidential contest. Strong legislatures are essential to balancing executive power and ensuring that public resources are used effectively. Without capable lawmakers, even the best policy proposals can be poorly designed, inadequately scrutinized, or weakly implemented.
The recommendation for voters is straightforward: assess legislative candidates as carefully as presidential contenders. Their track records, policy understanding, constituency engagement, and integrity should matter just as much as their party affiliation.
For political parties, this underscores the need to prioritise merit and competence during candidate selection rather than relying solely on patronage or popularity.
Ultimately, Nigeria’s governance challenges will be easier to address when citizens recognise that effective representation at all levels of government, not just the presidency is central to democratic progress.
