Dr John Momoh, Chairman of Channels Media Group, has told Nigerian politicians to drop the divisive rhetoric before the 2027 general elections, warning that appeals to ethnicity and religion can turn neighbours into suspects.
He delivered the message on Thursday, October 22, 2026, while giving the keynote address at the 38th Dr Sam Epelle Gold Paper Lecture in Yola, Adamawa State, according to Vanguard's report. The lecture was titled Narratives That Build Nations in Diversity: Public Relations Leadership and the Future of Nigeria. The event also unveiled Governor Ahmadu Fintiri as patron of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Democracy needs debate, not dehumanisation
Momoh acknowledged that the approaching elections had raised the political temperature, with parties building alliances, candidates making claims and supporters mobilising voters. That is normal democracy. What is not normal is turning opponents into enemies of the nation.
Democracy needs vigorous debate. It needs disagreement, scrutiny and the freedom to challenge those who govern, he said, but disagreement should never become permission to dehumanise.
Political opponents are not enemies of the nation.
He also flagged a modern danger: false allegations, manipulated videos and fabricated quotations can spread before those affected even get a chance to respond. By the time the truth arrives, public opinion has already hardened. Anyone who has watched Nigeria's social media spaces heat up during election season knows exactly what he means.
Momoh urged political leaders and public figures to use their influence to calm tensions, reject language that could incite violence, and correct false claims circulated by their own supporters. The responsibility, he said, extends beyond candidates and parties to citizens, the media and public institutions.
His caution lands as other African nations face similar pressures. In Gambia, Interior Minister Abdoulie Sanyang said police cannot arrest every politician over divisive remarks, choosing dialogue over crackdowns ahead of the country's 2026 to 2027 electoral cycle. Even France is wrestling with foreign interference in its politics, with President Emmanuel Macron calling claims about riots stupid amid accusations of meddling in French elections. Division is a global weapon, and Nigeria must not hand anyone the trigger.
Speak the truth about the economy
Momoh then turned to the economy, and here his message was sharp: numbers mean nothing if families cannot feel them. Households judge the economy through the cost of food, transportation, rent, school fees, electricity and healthcare, he said.
Citing figures he attributed to the World Bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria, Momoh noted reported real GDP growth of 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026 and a decline in year-on-year headline inflation to 14.63 per cent in September, down from 15.39 per cent in August. He was careful to add that falling inflation does not mean falling prices; it can simply mean prices are rising more slowly.
If an official says that inflation has eased, and a family hears that food is still more expensive, the family is not being unreasonable. The two statements can both be true.
For a country where young people track the price of garri and petrol more closely than any statistical bulletin, this is the honest communication Nigeria needs. Momoh said officials must explain economic developments truthfully while continuing to address the impact of policies on citizens.
Growth must mean more than a number. It must become decent jobs, dependable public services, wages that can support a household, opportunity for young people, and confidence that the effort to build a life is worthwhile.
Security: behind every statistic is a person
On security, Momoh named the challenges plainly: insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts and farmer-pastoralist tensions. He said insecurity in Adamawa and the wider North-East had disrupted homes, farming, education, livelihoods and family life.
Behind every statistic is a person: a child who cannot attend school, a farmer afraid to return to a field, a family forced from its home, a community unable to reach a clinic. Their experience must not be reduced to a talking point in a political argument.
He urged the government to strengthen security agencies through better intelligence, equipment, training and coordination, while ensuring communities have confidence in the authorities. He also stressed that effective security requires more than operational responses; it needs prevention, justice and public cooperation.
A government's account of security will be judged by whether people can live, work, travel, learn and sleep without fear.
Accountability is the real test of leadership
Momoh closed with a challenge to political leaders: match your words with results. Citizens judge governments by lived experience, not by announcements about reforms and improved services.
When leaders promise a road, citizens watch to see whether it is built. When the government promises relief, people ask whether it reaches those who need it.
He said communication cannot compensate for badly designed policies or decisions taken without weighing their consequences for the people. Leaders, he argued, should seek honest advice before deciding, assess who benefits and who suffers from proposed policies, and explain the trade-offs openly.
Public officials, he added, should acknowledge delays, explain service failures and correct inaccurate claims rather than conceal mistakes.
A leader's willingness to repair a mistake can strengthen trust more than pretending the mistake never happened.
As Nigeria heads toward 2027, Momoh's message is a blueprint for a campaign season built on ideas rather than identity. The country's diversity is its strength, and the politicians who respect that will be the ones history remembers well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did John Momoh say about the 2027 elections?
He urged political parties and their supporters to avoid divisive rhetoric based on ethnicity and religion, warning that such appeals can turn neighbours into suspects and deepen mistrust ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Where and when did Momoh deliver his warning?
He spoke on Thursday, October 22, 2026, while delivering the keynote address at the 38th Dr Sam Epelle Gold Paper Lecture in Yola, Adamawa State.
What did Momoh say about inflation figures?
Quoting figures he attributed to the World Bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria, he noted headline inflation fell to 14.63 per cent in September 2026 from 15.39 per cent in August, but cautioned that slower price growth does not mean prices have fallen.