To make 2026 more meaningful for Nigerians, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour, LP, Mr. Peter Obi; the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF; Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; Middle Belt Forum, MBF; and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have tasked governments on good governance.

They also want the Federal Government to fight insecurity, corruption and ensure that reforms alleviate poverty, and improve the fortunes of the citizenry.

Hardship must become fuel for national awakening — Atiku

In a new year message, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar said for millions of long-suffering Nigerians, “the only consolation is that 2025, one of the most punishing years in our recent history, has come to an end. It was a year defined by economic suffocation, political recklessness, and governance without empathy under the All Progressives Congress, APC, administration.”

According to him, 2025 “exposed the incompetence and policy bankruptcy of President Bola Tinubu. Governing for months without a functional budget, the administration relied on propaganda while borrowing recklessly, pushing the nation to the brink of economic collapse.”

He said: “Nothing better captures the decay of this government than the scandal of a forged tax law, shamelessly branded a ‘reform.’ Even more disturbing was the President’s refusal to allow due legislative and legal processes to address what is clearly a criminal act. A government that begins reform with forgery cannot end with prosperity.

“In the same year, Nigeria’s democratic foundations were deliberately weakened, as the APC worked systematically to deform our multiparty democracy into a de facto one-party state through coercion, intimidation, and state capture. While drowning the nation in debt, the government falsely claimed to have met revenue targets.

“Meanwhile, insecurity worsened dramatically. Kidnappings, abductions, and violent crimes surged, affecting citizens young and old alike.

Lives were lost, livelihoods destroyed, and communities terrorised, while government assurances rang hollow. The administration spoke endlessly of economic recovery, yet unemployment, under-employment, labour unrest, and collapsing small businesses defined the year. Industries shut down. Workers were sent home. Hunger spread. Suffering became normalized.

Despite these failures, compounded by the appointment of undistinguished and unfit individuals to represent Nigeria abroad, the country survived, not because of government competence, but because of the resilience of its people.

I urge Nigerians to remain steadfast in the face of these hardships. Citizens are repeatedly told to ‘make sacrifices.’ Sacrifice is patriotic, but it becomes cruel when demanded by leaders who live extravagantly, insulated from the suffering of the people. Leadership without shared pain is not leadership; it is exploitation.

Small businesses, the backbone of job creation, are collapsing. Workers are losing jobs. Yet those in power prioritise comfort over conscience. This contradicts every principle of democratic governance.

The arrogance of this administration is unprecedented. Its contempt for public opinion, its hostility to criticism, and its willingness to punish Nigerians through bad policies reveal a government fundamentally hostile to the people.

Never in our recent history have we seen an administration so openly dismissive of public sentiment, so casual in breaking laws, and so reckless with democratic norms.

A government capable of forging or tampering with laws cannot be trusted to conduct free and fair elections in 2027. Still, we must not surrender to despair. These hardships must become the fuel for national awakening. Democracy gives the people the power to change a failing government, peacefully and decisively, through the ballot.

Do not allow religion or ethnicity to divide you. Division only serves those who benefit from your suffering. Unity is the path to rescue.

“The so-called anti-corruption crusade of this government is a facade, selective, vindictive, and politically motivated. It has become a tool for persecuting opposition figures rather than cleansing the system.”

Let’s create a Nigeria that works for all — Obi

On his part, former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi said the new year should “symbolise a genuine new beginning for our nation, a time for sober reflection and renewed determination. May this be the year we take our democracy seriously, not just as a ritual of elections, but as a daily commitment to unity, justice, accountability, compassion, and the rule of law. Let it signal the start of a true rebirth for Nigeria, a year when we gather the courage to confront our shortcomings honestly and begin to build a broad national consensus based on integrity, fairness, and shared sacrifice.”

He called on those in positions of authority to “rediscover the sacred duty of truth-telling, about their backgrounds, intentions, policies, actions, and even their health. Leadership thrives on trust, and trust is only possible with honesty. Let this year be one where public office is seen as a solemn call to service rather than a platform for personal enrichment, and where public resources are managed with transparency, discipline, and a deep sense of responsibility to both current and future generations.”

He continued: “May this New Year also be a time for compassion and sacrifice, where we consciously put the needs of the poor, the weak, and the forgotten at the centre of our national conscience. A nation is not defined by the grandeur of its celebrations but by the dignity of life it offers its citizens.

Therefore, let us prioritise a better standard of living over elaborate funerals, let us invest more in hospitals than in hearses, more in schools than in slogans, and more in jobs and productivity than in extravagance and waste.

Above all, may this year renew our collective resolve to create a Nigeria that truly works for all, just in its laws, productive in its economy, united in its diversity, and humane in its treatment of every citizen. A new Nigeria is possible.”

Endurance is not approval, reforms must deliver — CAN

In like manner, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, urged the Federal Government to ensure that ongoing reforms produce real and tangible relief for Nigerians, warning that the people’s quiet endurance of hardship must not be mistaken for approval of current economic and security conditions.

The appeal was made in a New Year message to the nation signed by the President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in which the apex Christian body reflected on the state of the nation and outlined expectations for governance, economic reforms, security, and moral leadership in 2026.

CAN said that 2025 was particularly difficult for many Nigerians, noting that economic hardship, rising living costs, insecurity, and uncertainty combined to place enormous strain on families and communities across the country.

“The year behind us was a difficult one for many Nigerians. Economic hardship, rising living costs, insecurity, and uncertainty placed enormous strain on families and communities,” the association said.

The Christian body cautioned leaders against reading resilience as contentment, stressing that endurance often reflects survival in difficult circumstances rather than acceptance.

“The quiet endurance of our people is not a sign that all is well; rather, it is a reminder of how much healing, relief, and justice our nation still needs,” CAN said.

Turning to economic reforms, the association said discussions around recovery and growth must go beyond policy language and deliver visible improvements in the daily lives of citizens.

“Economic advancement must be evident in the daily lives of citizens—when food is affordable, healthcare is accessible, education is attainable, and meaningful work is available,” the statement said.

CAN also raised serious concern over the persistence of insecurity across the country, describing terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and violent crime as grave national challenges that have uprooted communities and shattered lives.

“The persistence of insecurity across the country remains a grave national concern,” the association said.

It added that the government must translate its commitments into results in the year ahead.

“We hope that the government will deliver on its promises to reduce insecurity to the lowest levels in this new year,” the statement said.

Beyond immediate security measures, CAN called on governments at all levels to urgently present a clear, comprehensive, and time-bound plan for the resettlement of communities displaced for prolonged periods by violence and insecurity.

“It is unjust and unacceptable that citizens should remain indefinitely uprooted from their ancestral lands, homes, and livelihoods,” it said.

The Christian body stressed that genuine national healing requires restoration, including guaranteed security, the rebuilding of homes and infrastructure, and the safe and dignified return of displaced persons because “a nation cannot claim healing while entire communities remain unsettled.”

On fiscal, tax, and other policy reforms, CAN urged wisdom, fairness, and restraint, warning that economic decisions should not worsen the burden on those already struggling.

CAN further argued that Nigeria’s challenges extend beyond economic and structural issues to deeper moral concerns, citing corruption, injustice, and division as factors eroding trust and weakening the national conscience.

“Leadership at all levels must be guided by integrity, accountability, and a sincere commitment to serve rather than dominate,” it said.

Reaffirming its role, CAN said the Church would continue to stand with the people, speak truth with love, and sustain hope despite prevailing difficulties.

“We declare that Nigeria is not without a future,” Archbishop Okoh said, expressing confidence that the country can still experience better days.

MBF urges cautious optimism in 2026, calls for strong opposition

In its new year message by its National President, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, urged Nigerians to approach 2026 with cautious optimism, expressing hope that recent developments, including foreign support in tackling insecurity and the introduction of a new tax regime, will bring positive change to the country.

Dr. Pogu noted that events towards the end of 2025, particularly the involvement of the United States in assisting Nigeria to combat insecurity, raised fresh expectations among citizens.

“The situation we find ourselves in as we enter 2026, given the expectations arising from what transpired towards the end of 2025, namely the involvement of the Americans in helping to resolve insecurity in Nigeria, and, of course, the new tax regime that is coming, will bring so many changes and new terrain in our expectations as Nigerians,” he said.

While acknowledging uncertainties surrounding the implementation of the new tax regime, the MBF President called on Nigerians to cooperate with the government and its partners.

“Because its implementation is something we do not yet fully understand, we do not know how it will affect us. Let us cautiously believe in our government, and let us cooperate with those who have come to assist us, the Americans, to rid this country of insurgency,” he stated.

Dr. Pogu further emphasized the need to protect democratic freedoms as the country heads toward another election year saying “let us also allow free expression and free politicking to thrive in Nigeria so that Nigerians will eventually determine who their leaders will be, especially as 2027 will be an election year.”

He lamented that Nigeria has largely functioned along ethnic and religious lines, adding, “so far, we have never really been a nation; we have only been people living in enclaves of religion or tribe.”

Dr. Pogu expressed concern about the state of opposition parties ahead of 2027. “For now, the PDP is in shambles. There are actually two political parties that are thriving; the APC and the ADC,” he said, warning that unless the PDP reorganizes, “we may end up in a mess.”

He stressed the need for a strong opposition to deepen democracy, and urged the ruling party and state actors to allow political competition to flourish. “So, we hope the APC, the government, and forces that have been antagonistic to the opposition will sheath their swords and allow the opposition to thrive so that we can have good, robust competition for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians,” Dr. Pogu said.

ACF tasks govts on security, anti-graft war, good governance

Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Prof. Tukur Baba, expressed cautious hope for Nigeria in 2026, urging governments at all levels to rise above politics and deliver genuine good governance to the people.

Speaking on national expectations, Prof. Baba said the prevailing mood among citizens is not one of high expectation but of hope, hope that leaders will finally act responsibly in addressing the country’s deepening challenges. “A lot is happening, and it is not easy to say what lies ahead. But it is more of hope than expectations,” he said.

He called on the Federal Government, as well as state and local governments, to be fully alive to their constitutional responsibilities and to govern with sincerity rather than political calculations.

“My fervent hope is for the Federal Government in particular, and then the states and local governments, to eschew politics and deliver good governance, devoid of excuses or thoughts focused only on re-elections,” he stated.

Prof. Baba stressed the need for leaders to prioritise the welfare of ordinary Nigerians, especially in the areas of economic stability, political inclusion and social wellbeing.

He also raised concerns over the country’s security situation, noting that insecurity must be decisively confronted, if Nigeria is to move forward.

“Insecurity must be dealt a severe blow. At the same time, distortions in economic policies and political affairs must be corrected,” he said.

The ACF spokesperson further decried the persistence of corruption, describing it as a major obstacle to national progress. He warned that corruption in all its forms must be confronted head-on, rather than being “enabled, promoted or fertilised,” as he claimed is currently the case.

Prof. Baba concluded by urging leaders to act in the collective interest of the people, noting that only sincere governance, accountability and justice can restore public confidence and national stability.

Stop promises, protect lives — PDP tells FG

The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, urged the Federal Government to make the protection of lives and property its top priority in 2026, saying Nigerians have endured too long a cycle of insecurity, economic hardship, and unfulfilled promises.

In a New Year message by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP said the new year should represent a clear turning point in governance, driven by the needs and welfare of ordinary Nigerians rather than partisan interests.

“The Federal Government must, without excuses or delay, recommit itself to its foremost constitutional duty, which is the protection of lives and property,” the party said.

The PDP said insecurity, economic hardship, and uncertainty have become the everyday reality for millions of Nigerians, warning that citizens’ patience is wearing thin and that leadership in 2026 must be measured by action, not rhetoric.

“This new year must not be another chapter of broken promises, but a turning point marked by decisive and people-centred governance,” Ememobong said.

The party also drew attention to the role of democratic institutions, calling on the judiciary, the electoral umpire, and security agencies to uphold their responsibilities without yielding to pressure, inducement, or fear, warning that democratic stability depends on their independence.

“Democracy cannot survive where arbitrariness replaces justice and impunity thrives unchecked,” the PDP warned.

Reaffirming its position as an opposition party, the PDP said those holding public office must remember that power is a trust, not a licence to rule arbitrarily, and that governance must be anchored on accountability and respect for the rule of law.

“Those entrusted with power are not rulers, but servants of the people, whose mandate must be exercised with humility, accountability, and respect for the rule of law,” “ it said.

The party further pledged continued solidarity with Nigerians in the struggle for a more just and egalitarian society, insisting that opportunities and public resources must be distributed fairly and not determined by party affiliation or closeness to power.

“As an opposition, we reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with Nigerians in the continuing struggle for an egalitarian society,” Ememobong added.

The PDP assured Nigerians that it would continue to speak truth to power and hold the government accountable until governance reflects the will, welfare, and aspirations of the people, while extending New Year greetings to citizens across the country. (Vanguard)