Akande blasts Obi, opposition for missing manifestos two months to 2027 election
Former Osinbajo media aide Laolu Akande appeared on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily Wednesday and tore into Peter Obi and other opposition candidates for failing to present manifestos barely two months before the 2027 presidential election. Akande, speaking for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), said: "Our politicians are not very keen on manifestos, and you would expect that one of the things the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, should put forward is his manifesto. But until now, we don't know anything about his manifesto."
The criticism lands at a critical moment—with the election roughly 60 days away, voters have no detailed policy documents from major opposition figures to evaluate. Akande argued Nigerians shouldn't wait for a political saviour, insisting change must start at ward and local government levels where citizens organize to make their votes count. "Even the worst politician is going to win straight" if people don't turn out in sufficient numbers, he warned.
Akande's broader point: the political class benefits from the current system and won't voluntarily reform it. Grassroots mobilization—not manifesto promises—is what forces accountability. The NDC and other opposition parties have not publicly responded to the manifesto charge as of this interview.
With two months until polling day, will you demand detailed policy platforms from every candidate before deciding your vote, or will you vote based on personality and party loyalty alone?