KWALE/Nigeria: The Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) has announced plans to open a non-partisan engagement platform for candidates contesting the 2027 general elections across elective positions affecting the Ndokwa Nation, from the Delta State governorship and Delta North senatorial contest to the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly races.
The initiative, according to the union, is intended to bring candidates before the people to explain their programmes, development priorities and commitments, while giving voters an opportunity to ask questions and scrutinise the issues being presented to them ahead of the elections.
The position was contained in a statement signed by the NNU President-General, Chief Comrade Amaechi Asugwuni, and the union’s Publicity Secretary, Comrade Odanike Azuka Justice, who said the proposed engagement would be open to all duly recognised candidates, irrespective of their political parties.
The union said the platform would cover candidates seeking the governorship of Delta State, the Delta North Senatorial seat, the House of Representatives seat for Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani Federal Constituency and the three State House of Assembly constituencies of Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West and Ukwuani.
It stressed that the invitation of candidates to participate in the engagement should not be construed as an endorsement of any individual, political party or electoral platform.
According to the NNU, candidates and their representatives would be expected to present their positions on issues affecting the people and respond to questions in an atmosphere of civility, mutual respect and constructive dialogue.
The union said the engagement would also be conducted in accordance with relevant electoral laws and guidelines governing the process.
It explained that the initiative was prompted by the need to shift political conversations in Ndokwa towards issues of development, accountability and the practical needs of the people, rather than allowing campaigns to revolve principally around party affiliations and political personalities.
The NNU urged candidates to place issues such as infrastructure, economic opportunities, education, healthcare, security, employment, youth development and the welfare of rural and riverine communities within the broader context of their campaign programmes.
It said voters should be given sufficient opportunity to understand what each candidate intends to do if elected, as well as how such promises would be pursued within the constitutional responsibilities and limitations of the office being sought.
The union maintained that direct interaction between candidates and the electorate would help deepen political participation and enable voters to make decisions based on the programmes and commitments presented by the contestants.
It also called for greater accountability in electioneering, urging candidates to make the developmental interests of Ndokwa and the wider Delta community central to their campaigns.
The proposed engagement comes amid increasing political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already published candidate lists for various contests, while political parties and aspirants across Delta State have intensified their preparations.
In the Delta North senatorial contest, for instance, current published candidate information includes contenders from the APC, ADC, NDC, PDP, and other participating parties, underscoring the multi-party nature of the electoral field.
The Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency is also expected to have a multi-party contest, with candidates from several political parties listed for the House of Representatives election.
The NNU said its proposed engagement was therefore not designed to advance a particular political interest but to provide a common platform through which candidates at the different levels of government could engage the people and subject their programmes to public scrutiny.
It called on the electorate to take advantage of such opportunities to seek clarity on the issues that matter to their communities and to demand specific commitments from those seeking their votes.
The union said its ultimate objective was to promote informed political participation and encourage a campaign environment in which the development and collective interests of Ndokwa/Ukwuani remain central to electoral discourse.
