The Patriots, a non-partisan group of elder statesmen and prominent Nigerians led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, have raised fresh concerns over worsening insecurity, poverty and the state of Nigeria’s governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, Anyaoku, said the Patriots were deeply disturbed by the continued killings, kidnappings and displacement of communities by bandits across several parts of the country, particularly in the North-East, North-West, North-Central and parts of the South-West.

The group noted that the growing number of internally displaced persons and the inability of many farmers to return to their farms posed a major threat to national food security.

According to the Patriots, the Federal Government should treat insecurity as a “national protection, governance and economic survival crisis” and urgently establish a special committee to advise on measures to tackle the various dimensions of the challenge.

While acknowledging economic reforms introduced by the Federal Government which they said had improved macroeconomic prospects, the Patriots expressed concern that poverty levels remained unacceptably high, especially in rural communities.

The group referenced figures from the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that about 63 per cent of Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty.

The Patriots also reiterated their longstanding call for a new democratic constitution, arguing that the country’s current governance structure derived from the 1999 Constitution was imposed by a military regime and could not adequately address Nigeria’s numerous challenges.

The group recalled resolutions reached at its National Summit held in Abuja in July 2024, attended by representatives of women, youth groups and socio-cultural organisations from the six geopolitical zones, where participants advocated restructuring and a people-driven constitution.

On the 2027 elections, the Patriots decried the absence of ideology-based politics among political parties, saying this had encouraged frequent defections by elected officials and reinforced the perception that political parties merely serve as platforms for acquiring power.

The group urged political parties to focus their campaigns on issues affecting Nigerians rather than engaging in personal attacks and political hostility.

The Patriots also expressed concern over what it described as the collapse of public institutions and declining national values, urging Nigerians to vote in 2027 for candidates and political parties committed to restructuring the country’s governance system.

The group further warned that the international community would closely monitor the conduct of the 2027 elections at the federal, state and local government levels.

Another major concern raised by the Patriots was the rising cost of politics in Nigeria, particularly the high fees for nomination and expression of interest forms, which they said had effectively shut out ordinary Nigerians from participating in the political process.

The group argued that professionals such as teachers and other capable citizens with valuable contributions to governance could no longer afford to contest elections under the current system.

Responding to questions from journalists, Anyaoku maintained that insecurity remained a serious national concern and stressed that constitutional restructuring was essential to addressing corruption and misgovernance.

He said a constitution that clearly defines the responsibilities and limits of leadership would help strengthen accountability in governance.

On electoral reforms, the Patriots renewed their support for the introduction of independent candidacy, noting that it was among the key recommendations adopted during the group’s 2024 National Summit in Abuja.

He said. “The Federal Government should now regard insecurity as a national protection, governance and economic survival crisis, warranting the establishment of a special committee to advise on measures to address its various ramifications.

“Insecurity in the country has reached the level of a national protection, governance and economic survival crisis.

“This situation warrants urgent establishment of a special committee to advise government on coordinated measures to address its multiple ramifications.

“The crisis of insecurity now cuts across protection, governance and economic survival, and must be treated as such by the Federal Government.
“There is a need for urgent, coordinated action through a dedicated committee to provide guidance on addressing the different dimensions of the insecurity challenge.”