A forum of chief executive officers from federal parastatals pledged to mobilise 10 million votes for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reform agenda ahead of upcoming electoral realignments. The pledge is part of a broader effort by the ruling party to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 elections.
The involvement of federal parastatal CEOs in political mobilisation raises questions about the civil service's politicisation. These officials are expected to remain neutral in political matters, but their pledge suggests a blurring of the lines between governance and politics. The 10 million vote target is ambitious, but the pledge's credibility is questionable.
This echoes the 2022 election cycle, when federal agencies were also mobilised to support the ruling party. The mechanism was different then, but the result was the same: a blurring of the boundaries between state and party.
The winners: President Tinubu, who gains a mobilisation network; and the CEOs, who may benefit politically. The losers: the Nigerian public, who must question the civil service's neutrality; and the opposition, which faces an uneven playing field.
Bottom Line: 10 million votes pledged. The civil service is being mobilised. The question is whether this is politics or governance.