By Bilesanmi Abayomi
As Nigeria moves steadily toward the 2027 general elections, a new commentary has sparked conversation around the often-ignored psychological and social burden political participation places on ordinary citizens.
In an article titled “2027 Politics and the Silent Cost of False Promises on Supporters’ Well-Being,” the publisher of KP, popularly known as KOKO, interrogates how repeated unfulfilled political promises erode supporters’ mental health, diminish productivity, and weaken trust in the democratic process. Rather than focusing on electoral calculations, the piece centres the lived experiences of citizens who invest emotionally, financially, and socially in political movements.
Reacting to the article, public affairs commentator Ayanfe Omojuwa described it as a sobering and necessary reflection rooted in experience rather than speculation. He noted that the strength of the piece lies in the author’s firsthand involvement in political mobilisation and grassroots struggles, giving the analysis a depth often missing from conventional political commentary.
The article argues that political promises in Nigeria are frequently deployed as mobilisation tools rather than treated as commitments to be honoured. For many supporters, these pledges symbolise hope for better healthcare, education, employment opportunities, and economic security. When such promises are repeatedly abandoned, the writer suggests, the experience amounts to a form of political gaslighting that leaves supporters emotionally drained and deeply disillusioned.
Central to the commentary is the mental health toll of political engagement. It highlights how prolonged emotional investment, personal sacrifices, and financial contributions—often ending in disappointment, can result in what the author describes as “political depression.” This sense of betrayal, the piece argues, does not remain confined to politics but spills into family life, workplace performance, and community relationships.
The article also takes aim at what it describes as a “use and discard” culture within Nigeria’s political ecosystem, particularly in the treatment of young people and grassroots organisers. These groups, it notes, are often courted with assurances of inclusion and opportunity, only to be marginalised once electoral victories are secured.
As the 2027 election season approaches, the commentary urges citizens to adopt a more critical and self-preserving approach to political engagement. It calls for accountability anchored in verifiable records of service, a shift from personality-driven politics to issue- and policy-based evaluation, and a focus on immediate performance rather than distant campaign promises.
In his concluding remarks, Omojuwa emphasised that the article serves as a timely reminder that politics carries real human consequences. He stressed that citizens should not be treated as expendable tools in a four-year electoral cycle, but as stakeholders whose well-being is essential to a functional democracy.
Ultimately, the piece challenges both political actors and their supporters to rethink how they engage, moving away from personalities to issues, and from rhetoric to concrete, measurable action, as Nigeria prepares for its next general elections.