A presidential aspirant of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Engr. (Dr.) Yakubu Mohammed Kingsley, has challenged opposition presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 election to tell Nigerians what they intend to do differently if elected.
Kingsley said voters deserved to know not only what the various candidates oppose, but also their policies, implementation strategies, required resources, timelines and expected results.
He made the call in a statement issued in Abuja, stressing that the 2027 presidential contest should focus on competing ideas and practical solutions rather than solely on efforts to remove the incumbent.
“As Nigeria moves deeper into preparations for the 2027 general elections, I believe the presidential campaign must be centred on the future of Nigeria, with greater emphasis on ideas, policies, programmes and practical solutions rather than personal attacks, political exchanges and the pursuit of power for its own sake,” he said.
Kingsley is currently challenging the emergence of former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, as the PRP’s presidential candidate in the party’s May 25, 2026 primary. The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed November 2, 2026, for judgment in the case.
The aspirant argued that an election should provide citizens with an opportunity to compare the development plans of competing candidates, insisting that removing an incumbent could not, on its own, constitute a national development agenda.
“A presidential election should therefore provide citizens with an opportunity to examine competing ideas, policies, programmes and implementation plans.
“Candidates should tell Nigerians not only what they oppose, but what they intend to build and the pathway through which they intend to deliver it,” he said.
Kingsley also said political differences should not prevent candidates from acknowledging policies and projects of the present administration that they consider deserving of recognition.
He specifically commended ongoing road infrastructure projects, particularly the Coastal Highway, saying his assessment was informed by his professional background as a highway engineer.
“I commend the road infrastructure projects, especially the Coastal Highway, being undertaken by the present administration.
“As a highway engineer, my assessment is not based solely on politics; I consider the technical dimensions, including project scoping, specifications, earthworks, subgrade preparation, reinforced pavement structure and other engineering requirements,” he said.
He, however, stressed that such commendation should not be interpreted to mean that Nigeria’s challenges had been resolved.
According to him, economic hardship, rising living costs, unemployment, insecurity and difficulties in meeting basic needs remain issues requiring urgent attention.
“Ultimately, government policies must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens,” he said.
Kingsley disclosed that the YMK Nigeria Project had developed an alternative national policy framework aimed at addressing the country’s challenges and preparing for the opportunity to serve Nigeria in 2027.
He said the proposed framework contained national objectives, implementation structures, responsible institutions, resource requirements, timelines and defined responsibilities for the Federal, state and local governments.
The framework, he added, also provides for community participation, private-sector involvement, monitoring mechanisms and measurable indicators of progress.
Kingsley said Nigeria’s problems were interconnected and therefore required an integrated national development plan.
“Roads, power, agriculture, education, security, employment, industry and social development should reinforce one another rather than operate as isolated interventions.
“This is the difference between having promises and having a governing plan.
“A policy must lead to a programme; a programme must have an implementation structure; implementation must produce measurable results; and those results must ultimately be reflected in the lives of Nigerians,” he said.
He urged presidential candidates to make their policy proposals available in sufficient detail to enable voters to understand not only what they intend to do but how they intend to achieve their objectives.
“The questions before every candidate are straightforward: What are you offering Nigerians that is different?
“What are your implementation and monitoring structures? The resources required? And what are the deliverables and timelines?” he asked.
The PRP aspirant said addressing Nigeria’s challenges required more than political communication, stressing the importance of technical knowledge, institutional capacity, competent personnel, coordination, planning and disciplined implementation.
He also said his legal team was awaiting the Federal High Court’s November 2 judgment on the dispute arising from the PRP presidential primary.
“In the meantime, we have developed policies and programmes to rescue Nigeria out of the present predicaments,” he said.
Kingsley called on presidential candidates, political parties, supporters and the media to raise the quality of the 2027 political discourse by focusing on competing policies, practical solutions and alternative pathways for national development.
He said Nigeria did not lack ideas but needed to translate sound ideas into policies, programmes, projects and measurable national outcomes.
“The 2027 election should therefore not be reduced to a contest over who should leave office or who should occupy the office.
“It should be a serious national conversation about what Nigeria should become, how we intend to get there and what each candidate is prepared to do differently.
“The Nigerian people deserve to hear the plans, examine the alternatives, understand how those alternatives will be delivered and, ultimately, measure the results,” he said.
