Chancellor of the University of Communication, Benin City, Prof. Tonnie Iredia, has urged Nigerian politicians to shift their focus from elections to governance.

Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, Iredia criticized the tendency of politicians to continually discuss upcoming elections, even when they are still years away, instead of concentrating on their responsibilities in governance.

According to him, there should be a clear distinction between electioneering and governance. He explained that after the period of campaigns and elections, what should follow is the institutionalization of government and the delivery of governance.

“Rather than focusing on governance, they are always talking about the next election that may be far away. And so the attention that should be on governance is diverted, with politicians more concerned about securing future elections,” he said.

He further stressed the role of the media in redirecting this focus. Iredia noted that the press has a duty to set the agenda by holding leaders accountable for governance rather than amplifying political ambitions.

“This is not a period for electioneering. It is a period for governance. We want to see projects, we want to see what you are doing, and we want to inform the public about that — not about your ambitions. That stage has passed,” he added.