ESAN, Edo State, Nigeria — A senatorial candidate in Nigeria’s Edo Central District has sought to distinguish his campaign from the distribution of food and cash often associated with electioneering in parts of the country, promising instead to focus on business support, skills development and agricultural assistance.
Comrade Kennedy Iyere, the Accord Party candidate for Edo Central Senatorial District, made the pledge during a grassroots consultation tour covering the five local government areas that make up the district: Esan Central, Esan West, Esan North-East, Esan South-East and Igueben.
Speaking to market traders, young people, farmers and community leaders, Iyere said he would not rely on short-term gifts to win voters.
He criticised what he described as a political culture in which candidates distribute food or small amounts of cash during campaigns but provide limited support to constituents after elections.
«“I am not here to deceive you. I will not come to share N2,000 or a bag of rice to you and then abandon you for four years in Abuja,” Iyere told supporters.»
He argued that short-term assistance should give way to programmes designed to improve people’s ability to earn sustainable incomes.
“Rice will finish in two weeks, money will finish in two days, but empowerment will last forever,” he said.
Focus on Businesses, Youths and Farmers
Iyere said that, if elected, his proposed programmes would include interest-free loans for market traders, skills training and start-up support for young people, agricultural equipment and assistance for farmers, as well as scholarships for students.
“I am coming to empower your business,” he said, outlining his campaign’s emphasis on enterprise development and economic opportunity.
The candidate’s position reflects a broader debate in Nigeria over the role of campaign-time gifts and other forms of direct assistance in elections.
Critics of such practices argue that food and cash distributions can provide immediate relief but do not necessarily address the structural challenges facing households and small businesses. Supporters of welfare-oriented interventions, however, often point to the immediate needs of communities facing rising living costs and economic hardship.
Campaign Message Gains Attention
Iyere’s comments have generated discussion in communities across Edo Central, with videos from his consultations circulating on social media platforms including WhatsApp and Facebook.
Some supporters have welcomed the emphasis on economic empowerment.
A youth leader in Esan West, who spoke to the campaign during the tour, said residents had previously received food and cash during election periods without seeing sustained engagement afterward.
“We have collected rice before, we have collected N5,000 before, but after election, you won’t see them again,” the youth leader said. “If he can really empower businesses, we will support him.”
The statement represents the view of the individual quoted and does not independently establish how widespread that experience is across the district.
Who Is Kennedy Iyere?
Iyere is contesting the Edo Central Senatorial District seat under the Accord Party. His campaign describes him as a humanitarian and youth advocate and has placed enterprise development, youth participation and agricultural support at the centre of his political platform.
His campaign slogan, “Vote Empowerment, Vote Business Growth,” reflects his stated intention to make economic empowerment a central theme of his candidacy.
Looking Ahead to 2027
The Edo Central senatorial contest is taking shape well ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with candidates beginning grassroots consultations and public engagement across the district.
For Iyere, the central question is whether voters will respond more strongly to promises of long-term economic empowerment than to traditional forms of campaign-time assistance.
His proposed programmes remain campaign commitments at this stage, and their eventual implementation would depend on his election, legislative responsibilities, available resources and the specific mechanisms adopted to deliver them.
The coming campaign period will determine how Iyere’s message is received by voters across Esan land.
