2027: ‘Go home if you won’t debate, publish manifesto’ Rufai Oseni tells Tinubu, Atiku, Obi

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Arise Television anchor Rufai Oseni has challenged President Bola Tinubu, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to publish their policy manifestos and commit to presidential debates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Oseni accused political leaders across the ruling party and opposition of failing to take Nigerians seriously, arguing that personal attacks and political exchanges were overshadowing substantive discussions on how to address the country’s economic and security challenges.

The broadcaster made the remarks on Wednesday during Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he demanded that presidential contenders make their policy proposals available and announce a clear timetable for public debates.

He described the absence of manifestos and an announced debate schedule as disrespectful to voters who needed to assess candidates’ ideas before deciding whom to support.

“I think all of them, all the political candidates, have insulted Nigerians. It’s an insult to Nigerians for all of them, from the APC to the NDC,” he said.

Oseni lamented that the political class had yet to demonstrate sufficient commitment to presenting and defending policy proposals before the electorate.

“All of you don’t take us seriously. You don’t have your campaign manifesto. We’re not debating on that. All of you, you are not even ready to give us a debate,” he added.

He questioned why candidates seeking the country’s highest political office had not made their plans for governance sufficiently clear to Nigerians, insisting that voters deserved more than campaign rhetoric and political rivalries.

The broadcaster cited South Korea as an example of a country where presidential debates are institutionalised, urging Nigeria to adopt stronger arrangements that would compel candidates to publicly defend their policy positions.

“If you must put yourself up for presidency, at least be decent enough to be able to debate your ideas. If you don’t want to do it, go and sit at your father’s house,” he said.

Oseni also criticised politicians for what he described as an excessive reliance on insults and personal attacks instead of engaging with the issues affecting ordinary Nigerians.

He argued that the country’s economic difficulties, insecurity and other national challenges required candidates to explain not only what they intended to do but also how they planned to achieve their promises.

“The opposition and the incumbent, they are all almost looking the same to me. I feel politics is a festival of strength of ideas, and I always feel that opposition must be strengthened to balance democracy. But a lot of people are not pulling their weight,” he said.

He expressed concern that both the ruling party and opposition were falling short of public expectations, stressing that a credible opposition should provide alternative policies and hold the government accountable.

The broadcaster also questioned the substance of policy proposals being advanced by political actors, citing the removal of petrol subsidies as an example of an issue requiring clear explanations from presidential contenders.

He said candidates should spell out how their proposed policies would work, what they would cost and how they would address the economic pressures facing Nigerians.

Oseni called on presidential hopefuls to publish their manifestos within a week, insisting that voters needed concrete policy positions to evaluate competing political platforms.

“So please, in the next week, we want to see manifestos. We don’t want to see excuses. People should be able to bring their manifestos forward,” he said.

His remarks add to calls for greater transparency and issue-based campaigning ahead of the 2027 general elections, with attention increasingly focused on how presidential contenders intend to tackle inflation, unemployment, insecurity and other pressing national concerns.

The demand for manifestos and public debates underscores the importance of enabling voters to compare candidates’ proposals, scrutinise their assumptions and hold them accountable for the commitments they make during campaigns.