As the campaigns for the 2023 general elections commenced last week, Nigerians are encouraged to vote for political parties that have Economic plans geared toward leading the nation to productivity and fiscal federalism.

Mr. Kelvin Emmanuel, a public affairs analyst, made this point while discussing "2023 Elections Campaign: Key Economic Issues to Watch". 

According to him, Nigerians must be politically active during this period and discerning, voting for political parties with clear economic plans to achieve inclusive growth and uplift millions from poverty.

He identified four (4) areas for analysis: 

Financial Autonomy for the State Judiciary, Legislature

He advised Nigerians to watch out for manifestos prioritizing full financial autonomy to state judiciary and legislature. This, according to him, includes autonomy to the local governments, which State governments have resisted.

Promoting the Principles of Derivation

He stressed the need for voters to be discerning and vote for a political party, demonstrating the political will to promote the principles of derivation and fiscal federalism. 

This means states should be able to unlock value from their natural resources, reducing dependency on allocation from the federal government.

He cited the example of seaports concentrated in Lagos and the need for decongestion moving more activities, and reviving the ports in the eastern axis and other parts of the country.

Cutting Down the Size of Government

On the policy side, he said Nigerians should vote for a government that will "Take the Bull by the Horn" in streamlining Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and MDAs in alignment with the recommendation of the Prof. Stephen Orosanye report. 

He added, "The current size of government and list of MDAs at the Federal is over-bloated, and Nigerians need to vote for a political party that will demonstrate the political will to reduce it and bring efficiency to governance." 

Backward Integration Plan in Key Sectors

He re-emphasized the importance of an economic plan that outlines how Nigeria will move from import dependency to productivity through manufacturing and other activities.

The public affairs analyst said Nigeria needs to strengthen its backward integration policy to cover critical sectors, with the focus of value addition on exports to boost foreign exchange inflows.

This will enable Nigeria to equalize its trade balance, and citizens should interrogate the political parties on their understanding and how they intend to approach the issue. 

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