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…As 2027 draws near
By Obiotika Wilfred Toochukwu.
Throughout centuries and across generations, nations have accumulated wealth through trade, taxation, commercial routes, tributes, levies and other sources of public revenue. From ancient kingdoms to modern economies, governments have taxed economic activities to finance infrastructure, security, education, healthcare and public administration.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the question of taxation has become inseparable from the country›s wider economic difficulties. Rising energy costs, persistent inflation, expensive transportation, declining purchasing power and growing household insecurity have placed enormous pressure on ordinary citizens. Across markets, motor parks, schools, offices and rural communities, the same concern persists. The challenge is not that governments should abandon taxation. Every functioning state requires revenue, and responsible taxation can support national development. The problem arises when the government demands more from citizens without demonstrating corresponding improvements in public services, economic opportunities and social protection. Taxation becomes particularly contentious when citizens experience rising living costs while public infrastructure deteriorates, unemployment remains a concern and access to affordable healthcare and quality education becomes increasingly difficult.
Nigeria›s poverty statistics illustrate the gravity of this predicament. The National Bureau of Statistics reported in 2024 that approximately 133 million Nigerians were in multidimensional poverty. This measure encompasses several disadvantages beyond income alone, including inadequate education, healthcare, living standards and access to essential services. It should not be confused with a current headcount of people living below a particular monetary poverty line. Nevertheless, the finding remains an important historical indication of the scale and depth of deprivation confronting the country. In rural southeastern Nigeria, where many families depend on petty trading, farming, informal employment and irregular assistance from relatives, the pressure is especially visible. The price of food can rise faster than earnings, while unreliable electricity and expensive fuel increase the cost of production. A teacher on a modest salary, a commercial motorcyclist, a market woman and an unemployed graduate may occupy different social positions, but they increasingly share the anxiety of trying to make limited resources cover unlimited needs.
Nonetheless, the political season can be particularly deceptive. Party loyalists and economically disadvantaged citizens may receive occasional financial assistance from political organisations, government programmes, humanitarian agencies and social intervention schemes. Some households depend on such transfers to purchase food, pay transport fares or meet urgent domestic expenses. Reports of monthly payments of ₦50,000 under particular programmes should, however, be verified against the specific scheme, its eligibility requirements and current payment records; such assistance should not be presented as a universal entitlement or a benefit received by most party loyalists.
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Even where assistance reaches its intended beneficiaries, temporary transfers cannot replace a functioning economy. A payment may provide immediate relief, but it cannot permanently compensate for unstable employment, high food prices, poor public services or the absence of productive opportunities. Sustainable welfare requires transparent administration, reliable funding and clear evidence that assistance reaches those who need it most. Citizens should never have to depend entirely on political connections or partisan loyalty to meet basic needs.
The tragedy of Nigeria›s present circumstances is the widening distance between the country›s enormous potential and the everyday experiences of its people. A nation blessed with human talent, natural resources, entrepreneurial energy and a large domestic market should be capable of creating broader prosperity. Persistent hardship raises legitimate questions about economic management, public accountability, policy consistency and the ability of political leaders to place national interests above personal and partisan ambitions. As electioneering intensifies, political parties must resist the temptation to turn poverty into a campaign instrument. Citizens need credible economic programmes, not merely promises of relief. They need transparent taxation, disciplined public expenditure, investment in productive industries, support for small businesses, improved agricultural productivity and social protection that is not conditional on political allegiance.
Nigeria is approaching another electoral season in which optimism will compete with disappointment. Many citizens will still hope for better leadership, improved living conditions and a more equitable distribution of national opportunities. Hope, after all, is difficult to extinguish completely. It survives in the market woman who opens her stall each morning, the teacher who enters a crowded classroom, the farmer who plants despite uncertainty and the young graduate who continues searching for work. But hope must not be mistaken for happiness. Beneath the optimism are exhausted households, postponed ambitions, broken dreams and frustrated desires. There is sadness in a society where survival consumes the energy that should have been devoted to personal development and collective progress.
The 2027 general elections offer Nigeria an opportunity to reconsider the meaning of public service and the responsibilities of political leadership. The fundamental question is whether the government will continue to demand sacrifices from citizens without delivering sufficient improvements in return, or whether it will embrace a more accountable and humane model of governance. Nigerians may continue to believe in a better future, but optimism alone cannot put food on the table, reduce the cost of living or restore lost opportunities. Until political leadership translates promises into tangible improvements in everyday life, the nation may approach the ballot box with expectations in its hands and discouragement in its heart. Beneath the noise of campaigns, the deeper reality will remain for a people still waiting for the peace, security and quiet happiness that responsible governance ought to make possible.
·Obiotika Wilfred Toochukwu writes via email.
