Matthew Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, has explained why politicians mislead voters and make irrational promises during election campaigns, claiming that winning elections is more important to them than preparing the populace for the difficulties of governance.
According to Kukah, politicians frequently use eye-catching imagery and lofty pledges to present voters with an enticing vision, only to break their promises after taking office and start blaming the challenges of governing.
He urged Nigerians to acquire the ability to challenge such claims prior to elections, arguing that political communication had turned into a tool for obtaining votes through promises that politicians might not be ready to fulfill.
The bishop spoke in Abuja on Thursday at a public symposium organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in collaboration with The Kukah Centre.
When confronted, he told them, “You are confusing campaign with governance. What I did was purely a simple campaign. Governance is a difficult part.”
“And this is why we have Nigerian politicians turn around, once they have been sworn in and after telling us all the things they want to do, and say, ‘We didn’t know that the treasury was so empty.’ Then, they start giving one excuse after the other.”
“The point I am making is that it is the business of politicians to seduce, deceive or tell us things we can’t do just to win our votes. But we are sufficiently knowledgeable, and our experience should help us to test the limits of the claims that politicians make.”
Kukah emphasized that Nigerians should become capable of challenging politicians, closely examining their pledges, and demanding accountability rather than merely accepting campaign messaging.
According to him, the discussion about political communication should also assist Nigerians in making political decisions that are not influenced by their race, religion, or social class.
He believes that instead of waiting until elections are won to demand an explanation for their actions, citizens should learn to interact with the political elite.
Bishop Kukah is right: some politicians tell voters whatever they want to hear simply to win elections. They make grand promises during campaigns, but once elected, many fail to fulfil them. This leaves voters disappointed and undermines trust in the political process.
