Kingsley Ohens reporting 

BENIN CITY — As political campaigns for the 2027 general elections officially get underway, the Coalition for Tinubu-Okpebholo-Nigeria has challenged political parties and candidates to make the forthcoming contest a referendum on governance, performance and verifiable records rather than ethnic, religious or personality-driven politics.

In a statement signed by the Coalition on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, the group said the commencement of campaigns marks the beginning of another important democratic process in which Nigerians will have the opportunity to assess competing records, policies and visions for the country.

The Coalition said the 2027 election should go beyond campaign rhetoric and promises, insisting that candidates seeking fresh mandates must be prepared to account for their achievements and explain how their proposed policies would improve the lives of citizens.

According to the group, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration inherited significant economic and structural challenges and has responded with a reform-oriented approach, even as some of its policies and consequences have generated considerable public debate.

It maintained that leadership should ultimately be assessed by the courage to confront difficult national problems and the measurable outcomes of decisions taken in the public interest.

The Coalition similarly positioned the administration of Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, as another example of governance that should be evaluated through tangible projects, policies and the experiences of citizens across the state.

The group therefore welcomed the opening of the campaign season, describing it as an opportunity for political actors to place their records before the electorate for scrutiny.

“We want a contest of records,” the Coalition declared, urging every political party and candidate to present a clear account of what it has achieved in areas where it has governed and to explain what it intends to do differently if entrusted with another mandate.

The Coalition said campaign promises should be tested against previous performance, while political rhetoric should be subjected to the reality of measurable results.

It also announced plans to take its message to communities across Nigeria through peaceful and respectful engagement with citizens, including farmers, traders, workers, entrepreneurs, students, professionals and other segments of the electorate.

The group stressed that listening to voters would be as important as presenting its own political case, noting that democracy requires more than simply asking citizens for their votes.

“Democracy is not simply about asking people for their votes. It is about giving them enough reason to believe,” the statement said.

The Coalition further called on opposition parties to base their campaigns on policies, competence and antecedents rather than appeals to ethnicity or religion.

It said it would similarly present its own case before the electorate and allow Nigerians to make the final decision at the ballot box.

With the 2027 campaign season now underway, the Coalition maintained that the ultimate test would not be the volume of campaign speeches or the size of political rallies, but the credibility of the records presented to the Nigerian people.

“The campaign has begun. The record is now on the ballot,” the Coalition stated.