“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke
(Irish Philosopher)
Dear {{First name|Active Citizen}},
Today, May 29, 2026, marks exactly three years since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office under the banner of "Renewed Hope." And as anniversaries go, this one arrived with a lot to think about.
We are not here to write a eulogy or a celebration. We are here to give you the full picture, because as active citizens, the full picture is exactly what you deserve.
Three Years of Renewed Hope. What Do the Streets Say?
The Tinubu administration will point to real milestones. But a government is not measured only by what it builds. It is also measured by what it fails to protect.
Three years in, the government's response to mass attacks remains hauntingly predictable: presidential condemnation, deployment announcements, promises of investigation, and then silence. No perpetrators from previous attacks have been publicly prosecuted. No independent security review has been made public. These attacks have lasted for extended periods without any intervention from security operatives, raising serious questions about response readiness.
A government's legitimacy rests on its capacity to protect those it governs. Renewed Hope cannot mean anything to the families in Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, Benue, Borno and many other parts of the country right now.
The Ballot Is Taking Shape. Here Is What You Need to Know
Amid the influx of anniversary reflections, multiple political parties were concurrently conducting their presidential primaries, making the 2027 field is clearer than it has ever been.
President Tinubu polled approximately 11 million votes across the 36 states and the FCT in the APC presidential primary conducted on May 23, defeating his sole challenger Stanley Osifo who received 16,503 votes. Whether this reflects genuine party enthusiasm or the weight of incumbency and state machinery is a question worth sitting with.
On the opposition side, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was declared the winner of the ADC presidential primary with 1,846,370 votes, defeating former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, who polled 504,117 votes, and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who received 177,120 votes. Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen have since rejected the results, alleging widespread disenfranchisement.
Meanwhile, the NDC is ratifying Peter Obi as its presidential candidate, following his emergence as the sole aspirant for the party's ticket. Obi had left the ADC earlier this month alongside former Kano governor Musa Kwankwaso to join the NDC, citing strategic reasons for the move.
Of course, these are not the only parties or candidates that will appear on the ballot in 2027. Nigeria’s political space remains broader and more layered than the headlines often suggest, with several parties still building their structures, forming alliances, and preparing candidates ahead of the general election.
But at this stage of the race, public attention, political momentum, and national conversation appear to be centering around the three familiar figures.
EiE's position has always been consistent: evaluate candidates on substance, not sentiment. Ask what they have done. Ask what they have stood for. Ask what they did when they had power.
Your Next Move Is the Most Important One
All of these, the insecurity, the primaries, the political chess, etc., come down to one thing: your vote in January & February 2027. And that vote starts with being on the register.
INEC's Phase 3 CVR exercise kicked off on May 11.
Here is what to do right now:
Not registered? Visit cvr.inecnigeria.org to pre-register online, then complete the process at your nearest INEC LGA office on any weekday between 9am and 3pm.
Already registered? Verify your details are current: name, polling unit, etc. Use this window to correct anything that needs fixing.
PVC not collected? If you registered in 2023 or during previous off-cycle elections, check your nearest INEC office. Your card may be waiting for you.
Want to do more? Support our ongoing voter mobilisation campaign. Your contribution helps fund grassroots voter education, community outreach, youth civic engagement, and credible election information across Southwest Nigeria ahead of 2027. Because informed citizens don’t just happen; they are intentionally reached.
Three years of "Renewed Hope." A new set of candidates is coming on the horizon. The question is not whether Nigeria needs change; it is whether you will show up to shape what that change looks like.
Register. Select. Vote not fight. Protect.
In service of the #OfficeOfTheCitizen
The EiE Nigeria Team.
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Enough thinking. Enough ranting. Let's build.