Political Manifestos: Sweet nothings or Solid Commitments?
By Sanni Juliet Oluwadarapupo
Words, they say, can be likened to a very popular verse in the Holy Bible, which reads:
“For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.”
In a society or community, there are typically two sets of people: those who rule and those who follow. The echelon of people who rule or are in positions of power are regarded as competent and fit for the job. Having assessed all criteria, they have earned the trust of the public in their leadership abilities. On the other hand, we have the set of people who follow, finding themselves relying entirely on the judgment and leadership of those in power.
But wait! What could have influenced the thought of the public to have vested such immense trust and confidence in a particular person or group to lead? What makes those people worthy of all doubts, silencing voices of uncertainty and dispelling misconceptions about them? What unshakeable confidence do they have that makes their followers believe that these leaders are capable of sound judgment? And finally, what enables these people to have earned the privilege to be the select few to claim authority?
Oh I see! Before the selection of any elected candidates, candidates or will I say politicians present themselves to the electorates as the best suited for the job. They present a list of the things they plan to achieve, a political manifesto, they call it, after they’ve gotten into power. They make it look so good, enticing and soothing to the ears of the listeners. One would think they were marketers, cause seriously! They just know how to sell their ideas to the electorates (consumers). This alone can manipulate the choice of an individual, into voting for a candidate but what happens after getting into power matters. Is the case going to be likened to the lyrics of the popular Afro-beat Artist, Adekunle Gold, “Empty barrel lo ma pariwo (empty barrel makes the loudest noise)”. Well! Only time will tell.
Political manifesto is a public declaration of a political party’s or candidate’s aims and intentions. It contains the sets of policies that the parties stand for and would wish to implement if elected into power. It is always issued before a general election. Political manifestos have long existed for a couple of decades now, building the political structure of the community and country at large
Political manifesto is similar to a contract deal, an agreement between the politician and the electorates. It is a case where the candidate presents his manifesto (the offer) to the electorates, who view it and in response to that, agree to the offer by voting for that candidate. Just like that, a deal has been signed but crisis might arise when such a contract is breached, that is, when the candidate having been elected fails to keep to his/her end of the bargain.
Amidst all the criteria for choosing a candidate, such as experience, competence, qualifications etc., a political manifesto is the most crucial of them all. It is an important communication instrument used during the electoral process, it is used to compare and contrast the candidate that is best suited for the job and to influence the relationship between the candidates and the electorates. It gives insight into what the candidates stand for, his/her visions, commitment to governance and how they plan to implement change.
Manifestos shape decision making. After knowing the stance of a candidate, what he/she intends to achieve, it makes it easier for the electorates to vote as long as it aligns with their interests. More importantly, it serves as a yardstick for the candidates to be measured. It makes the candidates accountable. While manifestos are vital during political campaigns, they can be vague, filled with grand promises that lack a firm execution plan.
Political candidates have a way with words, they just know how and when to sell their ideas to the masses. I mean, before going for any post, one has to be silver-tongued and persuasive. They make empty pledges but when appointed into office, they tend to deviate from what they’ve pledged.
Before coming out to declare your aims and intentions, a thorough feasibility assessment of the plans should be looked into. Stating your intentions just because it looks and sounds good at the moment or because it aligns more with the interest of the people does not make it count, if there is no concrete plan to back it up. Politicians nowadays see every avenue as a platform to debate on how beneficial their aims are without stating the practicality of their plans.
They tend to over promise, raising the expectations of the voters and misleading them.
How attainable a manifesto plan is, lies in how realistic, actionable, feasible and achievable it is. A well structured manifesto plan must outline the implementation measures stating how the candidates intend to fulfil their promises. It must be based on the existing condition, considering the available resources, economic conditions, social and political conditions alongside the institutional limitations. However, if there are any unforeseen changes, we can’t cheat nature, things are definitely bound to happen, it is right these candidates carry the people along.
A political manifesto is more than just a promise, it demands responsibility and accountability. It is very important we hold these candidates accountable for their words. We should not allow our votes to be sold on the table of persuasion. Political manifesto isn’t just mere words on a piece of paper, waiting to be told by the best debater, it is a commitment that must be fulfilled thoroughly.
We are witnessing a new chapter in political power at the University of Ibadan, where a variety of individuals have emerged into power occupying new positions ranging from the Students Union, Faculties, Departments and Halls. We can say it‘s all looking good and glamorous for the elected candidates. A box on their bucket list has been ticked, a feat has been accomplished, something to add to the résumé and the list abounds. But now they’ve gotten into power, what follows?
They have journeyed from departments to departments, faculties to faculties, and even from one room to the other, canvassing for votes and now, they are in office. It is only right that we, as the electorates, make them accountable for every promise they made.
