The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has urged Nigerians to reject vote-buying and political inducements as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.

Eugene Nweke, NNPP head of communication and strategy, made this known in an Easter message in Lagos on Saturday.

Mr Nweke said the message is a wake-up call to all Nigerians—leaders and citizens—as the nation gradually approaches the 2027 general elections.

The party official noted that the culture of immediate gratification in leadership and followership had significantly undermined the nation’s political and national development.

He said Nigerians should hold leaders accountable for past and present performances, rise above ethnic, religious, and sectional sentiments, and demand issue-based campaigns and policy-driven debates.

“Every vote cast must reflect a commitment to the future—not a compromise for temporary gains. Norway chose discipline over indulgence, foresight over immediacy, and legacy over convenience; Nigeria now stands at a similar crossroads.

“As we approach 2027, this must not be just another electoral cycle—it must be a turning point in our national journey. NNPP calls on all Nigerians to rise at this moment with courage, clarity, and conviction.

“The future of our nation depends on it, hard work and respect for rule of law. There is hope for a greater Nigeria of our dreams. Yes, we can; God help us.”

MrNweke said Nigeria must urgently recalibrate its governance and economic management systems by strengthening sovereign wealth and savings mechanisms.

He said this could be done by institutionalising fiscal discipline across all levels of government, promoting economic diversification beyond oil, and investing strategically in human capital development.

The party official said governments at all levels should also enhance transparency and accountability in public finance, saying that these were not optional reforms but existential imperatives.

Mr Nweke said that in 1969, Norway discovered vast oil reserves in the North Sea—an event that could have triggered reckless spending and economic distortion; “instead, Norway chose the path of discipline.”

He said through deliberate legislative action in 1990, Norway established a sovereign wealth framework that ensured total savings of oil revenues into a national fund and long-term global investments for future generations.

According to him, today, the fund has grown into one of the largest sovereign wealth assets in the world—transforming a finite natural resource into a sustainable economic legacy.

“Nigeria is equally endowed with vast oil resources. Over the decades, our oil wealth has not translated into enduring prosperity due to persistent fiscal indiscipline and weak public financial management.”

Mr Nweke said this contrast was neither accidental nor inevitable but the direct consequence of choices made and opportunities missed.

He, therefore, urged Nigerian leaders to transition from the consumption of national wealth to the creation and preservation of national value. 

(NAN)