Shehu slams Nigerians for voting on emotion, not history
Public commentator Mahdi Shehu has criticized Nigerian voters for making electoral choices based on present emotions rather than lessons from the past. Shehu made the remark on Sunday in a post on X, reacting to an old video of President Bola Tinubu reportedly promising not to seek a second term if he fails to deliver stable electricity within four years.
Shehu argued that many Nigerians forget past experiences when voting, writing: “Some Nigerians will still go ahead to vote for him because most Nigerians are prisoners of ‘the moment’ and never prisoners of history, even if they will be prisoners tomorrow.”
The comment taps into a recurring debate about voter accountability and the cyclical nature of political promises versus delivery. With the 2027 election cycle approaching, Shehu’s critique challenges citizens to evaluate leaders based on historical performance rather than campaign rhetoric or temporary sentiments.
This perspective invites reflection on whether Nigerian voters consistently hold leaders accountable for unmet promises, or if short-term factors repeatedly override long-term track records. The electricity promise cited is one of many made over decades that remain unfulfilled.
Should voters prioritize a leader’s past performance when making electoral decisions, even if current circumstances feel different?