Governance Abandoned! Sen. Sani Exposes Politicians’ Dangerous Obsession With Elections”

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has expressed concern that Nigeria’s political culture is undermining effective governance.

In an interview with Arise News on Sunday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain observed that politicians dedicate only one out of every four years to actual governance, while the remaining three years are consumed by political maneuvering, electioneering, and transition processes.

“Our constitution provides for a four-year term, but the reality is that only the first year is used for governance,” Sani stated. “The second year is spent discussing elections, the third on organizing them, and the fourth on handing over. That means over 70% of a term is wasted on politics rather than progress.”

Sani lamented that national discourse remains fixated on elections and power struggles rather than development. “In a functioning country, three and a half years should be committed to growth and reforms. Instead, we talk about endorsements, coalitions, and transitions. No one is discussing the economy, infrastructure, or how we can compete with countries like Malaysia, Japan, or Indonesia,” he said.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the 2023 elections, Sani said he had hoped the government would focus on pressing issues such as insecurity, education, health care, and national development. “Instead, we’ve returned to politicking about 2027 barely a year into the current term,” he added.

He called on political leaders to put national interest above personal ambition and party loyalty. “Nigeria is a country of over 230 million people. We cannot afford to keep squandering time on political games. The obsession with power has done us no good. It’s time we shift focus to governance once elections are over.”