The Chairman and Leader of Kwara Indigenes in Kaduna, Nur’deen Olaitan Amodu-Ode, has warned that abandoning ongoing reforms after the 2027 presidential election could derail Nigeria’s development and force the country to “start over.”
Amodu-Ode made the submission in a statement titled, “2027: A Choice Between Consolidation and Starting Over,” where he urged Nigerians to carefully consider the long-term implications of changing policies and programmes with every change of administration.
He described the 2027 presidential election as more than a contest for political power, saying it would determine whether Nigeria consolidates reforms already initiated or abandons them midway.
According to him, the country’s development has been repeatedly affected by successive administrations discontinuing policies and programmes inherited from their predecessors.
He said such practices had resulted in wasted resources, abandoned projects, weakened investor confidence and delays in achieving sustainable development.
Amodu-Ode argued that no country could achieve meaningful transformation if it continually dismantled policies and programmes before they had enough time to produce results.
He said sustainable economic development required consistency, patience and long-term commitment, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, economic reforms, public finance, investment and security.
The Kwara community leader said the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu represented an attempt to address some of Nigeria’s longstanding structural challenges.
He acknowledged that some of the reforms had generated public debate and placed economic pressure on citizens, but maintained that major reforms often involved difficult adjustments before their benefits could be fully realised.
He warned that replacing ongoing programmes with an entirely new policy direction after 2027 could lead to another cycle of policy reviews, institutional adjustments and uncertainty for businesses and investors.
“Starting over means reopening policy debates, redesigning programmes, rebuilding investor confidence and asking institutions to adjust once again,” he said.
According to him, investors and businesses require predictable policy environments to make long-term decisions, while major infrastructure and security projects often require several years of sustained implementation.
He, however, stressed that continuity should not mean giving any government a free pass or shielding it from criticism.
“Continuity must go hand in hand with accountability. Governments must remain answerable to the people through transparency, measurable performance and democratic scrutiny,” he said.
Amodu-Ode urged Nigerians to approach the 2027 election with sober reflection and place the country’s long-term interests above short-term political emotions and partisan considerations.
He said voters should assess the performance of the current administration while also considering whether existing policies should be strengthened, adjusted or completely replaced.
According to him, the choice before Nigerians is ultimately between consolidating policies that are working, correcting those that are failing and embarking on an entirely new direction.
He stressed that the final decision remained with the electorate, urging Nigerians to consider the long-term consequences of their choice when they go to the polls in 2027.