By Eshioromeh Sebastian
Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Publisher of THISDAY Newspaper and Arise Media Group, has issued a strong call for presidential candidates and political leaders to ground the 2027 election campaign in substantive policy debates—and to stop exporting Nigeria’s political battles overseas.
Speaking at a centenary event panel discussion by The Daily Times on the changing media landscape, Obaigbena challenged aspirants to abandon smear tactics and instead engage Nigerians on issues that directly affect their lives, including subsidy removal, exchange rate policy, tax reforms, and security.
“I believe I should implore our leaders to fight the election on policies. Should we have subsidy or should we not? Let us debate it,” he said.
Obaigbena’s appeal comes amid concerns that Nigerian political rivalries are increasingly being played out on foreign soil.
His warning to “domesticate our fight in Nigeria” resonates with recent reports that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has hired lobbyists in the United States to mount campaigns against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Obaigbena cautioned against the trend of taking internal political disputes to international forums, arguing that such tactics distract from the real issues facing Nigerians.
“Let us not return to any smear campaign. Let us domesticate our fight in Nigeria and debate policies that affect people especially poverty and hardship. What is your alternative?” he said.
Obaigbena, who participated in the session alongside former Daily Times Managing Director Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi and Mustafa Chike-Obi, stressed that the media has a critical role to play in ensuring issue-based campaigns.
He called on Nigerian journalists to demand that candidates present their policy platforms directly to the public.
“We want to hear from them. We want to see the debates. The media must insist on it because the Nigerian people need it,” he said.
Reflecting on the evolution of media, Obaigbena noted that while digital technology has revolutionised how news is distributed, the core responsibility of journalism remains unchanged.
“Journalism remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The forms of distribution have changed. The audiences have expanded as distribution is now in individual hands. That’s what technology has done,” he said.
Obaigbena specifically named opposition figures Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, urging them to articulate their positions on critical national questions.
“Should we go back to the command-and-control exchange rates, or should we allow the markets? Should we have tax reforms such that we can equalise the gaps between the rich and the poor? How do we deal with insecurity? Is state police an answer?” he asked.
“What does Abubakar Atiku think? What does Peter Obi think? Let us debate our future on policies.”
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