By Cliff Stanley
A Lesson on Political Emotions, Elite Interests and the Responsibility of the Nigerian Voter.
As we approach the 2027 elections,
how many people fought their family members, insulted friends, ended relationships or even became enemies because of off cycle elections? And after the elections , what exactly did they gain?
This is one of the uncomfortable questions Nigerian democracy must confront.
Politics is important. Elections matter. Leadership determines the direction of societies, the allocation of public resources and the quality of institutions. But politics should never become so emotionally consuming that citizens destroy relationships that took decades to build for politicians who may reconcile within hours when their interests change.
Political science teaches us to distinguish between political competition and personal enmity. Candidates compete; citizens choose. Political parties disagree; citizens debate. But when citizens begin treating political opponents as personal enemies, democracy becomes emotionally distorted.
Political scientist Harold Lasswell famously defined politics as “who gets what, when, and how.” That definition reminds us that politics is fundamentally about power, resources, influence and the distribution of societal benefits not merely about personalities.
Nigeria provides powerful evidence.
Research on Nigerian politics has documented the influence of clientelism, where political relationships may revolve around patronage, resources, personal networks and reciprocal benefits. A 2024 study published in SAGE Open described aspects of Nigeria’s electoral politics as increasingly shaped by money and elite competition, particularly during party primaries.
Another scholarly study of Nigerian political parties found that elite clientelism can encourage politicians to prioritise party members and influential elites rather than broader constituency interests.
This is why citizens must learn an important political lesson:
Never confuse the political interests of politicians with your personal interests.
A politician may campaign aggressively against another politician today and negotiate with that same person tomorrow. Political alliances change. Parties merge. Former opponents become allies. Yesterday’s enemies can become today’s colleagues.
Nigeria has seen this repeatedly.
The relationship between Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan after the 2015 election is an instructive example. Political competition did not permanently translate into personal hostility. After leaving office, Jonathan remained engaged with Buhari and was involved in national and international democratic initiatives. The lesson is not that political differences are meaningless; rather, political disagreement does not require permanent personal hatred.
The same principle applies across Nigeria’s political spectrum.
Citizens should therefore ask: What are we fighting for and who ultimately benefits from our fight?
If two politicians can sit together after an election, negotiate, reconcile and pursue their interests, why should ordinary citizens destroy marriages, friendships, family relationships and communities because of them?
The Independent National Electoral Commission reported 93,469,008 registered voters for the 2023 General Election, demonstrating the enormous scale of Nigeria’s democratic community. As Nigeria moves toward another major electoral cycle, political maturity must therefore become as important as political participation.
Political campaigns deliberately appeal to identity, fear, hope, anger and belonging. This is not uniquely Nigerian. Politicians everywhere understand that emotionally mobilised citizens are often easier to organise than citizens who critically interrogate policies.
The danger comes when political identity becomes stronger than civic identity.
When someone says, “If you don’t support my candidate, you are my enemy,” democracy has already suffered.
Your brother may support another party and still love you.
Your friend may vote differently and still be loyal to you.
Your neighbour may disagree with your political ideology and still deserve your respect.
Democracy requires disagreement without destruction.
The citizen’s responsibility is not to become a political soldier for another person’s ambition. It is to become an informed participant in the democratic process.
Before voting, ask:
What has this candidate actually achieved?
What policies are being proposed?
What is the candidate’s record of integrity and competence?
Who finances the campaign?
What interests surround the candidate?
What happens to ordinary citizens if this person wins?
Am I supporting a programme or merely defending an identity?
Would I still support this candidate if my emotions were removed from the decision?
These questions are more valuable than political insults.
Political elites may have access to lawyers, advisers, wealth, security and powerful networks. Ordinary citizens often have none of these protections.
That creates a dangerous asymmetry.
The politician may lose an election and recover politically. The citizen who loses a lifelong friendship may not.
The politician may reconcile with his opponent. The family members who fought each other may remain divided for years.
The politician may change parties. The citizen may continue carrying the emotional scars of yesterday’s political battle.
That is the tragedy.
Electoral politics should produce accountability, not hatred; competition, not destruction; civic engagement, not social fragmentation.
Nigeria’s history also demonstrates the consequences of political violence and polarisation. Scholarly research has argued that electoral violence is connected not merely to election administration but also to the material attractiveness of political office and the opportunities for private accumulation associated with state power.
Therefore, Nigerians must stop allowing politicians to convert political competition into social warfare.
As Nigeria approaches another decisive electoral period, citizens should remember:
Candidates will move on. Parties will realign. Political alliances will change. Governments will come and go. But your family remains your family, your genuine friends remain valuable, and your community remains your community.
Vote passionately but think rationally.
Support your candidate but don’t worship politicians.
Defend democracy but don’t destroy your relationships.
Challenge political corruption but don’t become violent.
Debate policies but don’t dehumanise opponents.
And above all, never surrender your independent judgment to political propaganda.
The greatest political enlightenment is not knowing the names of every politician. It is knowing when a politician’s interest is being presented to you as though it were your own.
Politics is a contest for power.
Your responsibility is to decide who deserves that power and then hold whoever wins accountable.
Do not lose yourself while choosing who should govern you.
The mature citizen understands that elections are temporary, but relationships can be permanent.
The politician’s campaign ends.
The election result is announced.
The party moves on.
The political class negotiates its next arrangement.
But the broken friendship may remain broken.
The family may remain divided.
The community may remain wounded.
So, before you insult your brother because of a politician, pause.
Before you block your lifelong friend because of a political party, think.
Before you risk your life for somebody else’s ambition, ask yourself:
“Would this politician make the same sacrifice for me?”
Political consciousness is not merely knowing who to vote for.
It is understanding why you are voting, whose interests you are defending, what evidence supports your decision, and what price you are personally willing to pay.
Vote wisely. Think independently. Disagree respectfully. Hold leaders accountable. And never allow politics to make you lose the people you love.
“The wise citizen does not surrender his humanity to political loyalty; he uses political power to defend the dignity, freedom and common good of society.”
Cliff Stanley
Political Scientist, Public Theologian, Cliffstanley3@gmail.com
07032826319
References:
Lasswell, H. D. (1936). Politics: Who Gets What, When, How. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Demarest, L. (2022). “Elite Clientelism in Nigeria: The Role of Parties in Weakening Legislator-Voter Ties.” Party Politics, 28(5).
Sambo, U., Sule, B., Adamu, U., & Septiadi, M. A. (2024). “Democracy for Sale: Examining the Phenomenon of the Cost of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for Major Parties in Nigeria’s 2023 General Election.” SAGE Open.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Report of the 2023 General Election.
Ikpe, U. B. (2015). “Rethinking Electoral Violence and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria.” Journal of Asian and African Studies, 50(1).