The social effect of using data to measure politics and policy – Adeshope Haastrup
Campaign season is in full swing across Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa states, and candidates are making lofty promises that align with the pressing needs of the people. This pattern of over-promising, like in every other clime, has become a recurring theme in Nigerian elections since 1999, leaving Nigerians with dashed hopes and an extreme sense of disappointment when governance falls short of these lofty promises. The disillusionment only deepened following the 2015 elections, where high expectations set by the APC campaign led to one of the most challenging economic periods in recent Nigerian history. As citizens voice their grievances, the government usually responds with lopsided data and misleading context, leaving us feeling gaslit and resigned to an uncertain future.
Do you remember when we were promised an exchange rate of $1 to 1 Naira during the APC Presidential Campaign 2015? or the current administration’s commitment to provide student loans, urging us to hope again? Nationally renowned for their resilience, Nigerians are compelled to have “renewed hope”, seemingly stuck in a cycle of unfulfilled promises. In this era of “renewed hope,” it’s imperative to ask: Can we, the people, hold the government accountable for their pledges? Can we stand firm before the projection of lopsided data, manipulated context, and gaslighting?
Let me take you on a journey through data. A few days before composing this article, I spoke with my mum as I would casually do. In our general discussion, she expressed her frustration with the current government because she sentimentally anticipated greater transparency from this administration. She specifically asked me, “What happened to the $800 million this administration received from the World Bank after the sudden removal of subsidies? She asked rhetorically if the people benefited at all?” In response, I shared the findings from surveys conducted by Principal Intel in Lagos, Imo and Kogi states, which showed an astonishing 80% of respondents in these states have never received any form of palliative from the government in their lives. Her reaction was one of disbelief. Can she trust this government going forward?
This is the power of data — it provides a quantifiable measure of our collective voice in a scientific manner that shows the power of aggregates, which puts a number to our assessment of these politicians and their policies. Such feedback is invaluable in scrutinizing the credibility of electoral and policy promises at the state and national levels. Data exposes the truth, even amid ambitious electoral commitments, such as Hope Uzodinma’s lofty campaign pledge to provide 4,000 jobs to the young population of Imo state in partnership with the European Union by December. The conclusion is simple: when it comes to the battle between electoral promises and the mirror-like power of data, data inevitably emerges victorious compared to anything that stands against it, and this is the work Principal Intel has come to do – to hold Nigerian politicians accountable.
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