A former presidential candidate of the defunct African Renaissance Party, Alhaji Yahaya Ndu, has expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s current condition, describing the country as a “failed state” struggling across nearly every sector.
In a statement released on Friday in Enugu, Ndu accused both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and major opposition parties of lacking clear ideological direction, arguing that political actors are more focused on the 2027 elections than on addressing worsening insecurity and economic hardship.
He said the political space has been reduced to election calculations rather than governance, with little attention paid to citizens’ daily struggles.
Ndu, who is credited with organising Nigeria’s first presidential debate in Enugu in 1992, called for a national, issue-based debate involving top political figures, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi.
According to him, Nigeria urgently needs leaders who can openly present and defend practical solutions to the country’s challenges, particularly insecurity.
“I have watched Nigerian politics since 1992, and in my view, over 90 per cent of our politicians are not driven by good governance. Their primary focus is how to win elections,” he said.
He further criticised what he described as the repetitive nature of party conventions, saying they are often centred on electoral strategy rather than national development.
Ndu also expressed disappointment with the tone of public political discussions, especially on social media, where he said more attention is given to whether President Tinubu’s second term is assured, while the country continues to face serious economic and security pressures.
He proposed a structured national dialogue, which he suggested be named the “Ernest Ikoli Memorial Presidential Debate,” in honour of the late journalist and nationalist whom he said has not been properly recognised.
The former presidential candidate extended his call for participation to other prominent political figures, including Rabiu Kwankwaso and Rotimi Amaechi, insisting that a broad, inclusive conversation is necessary to chart a way forward.
He also urged major professional and socio-cultural organisations — including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere, Arewa Consultative Forum, and PANDEF — to jointly organise the proposed debate.
Ndu warned that Nigeria’s continued decline could have wider consequences for the African continent, stressing that the country’s stability is critical to regional security and progress.
“If Nigeria fails, Africa is finished,” he said, urging urgent collective action to prevent further deterioration.
