Reading and watching the build-up, the voting (across days) and the release of the results of the just-concluded US midterm elections, one can clearly see a direct opposition to election conduct in Nigeria.
However, the central lesson from the November 3, 2026 midterm elections is that democracy is strengthened when citizens understand the power of their votes and politicians understand that political power is neither permanent nor an entitlement.
Like Bob Marley said, ‘You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.’
The defeat of the ruling Republicans, including major losses in traditionally Republican strongholds, demonstrates that voters can peacefully withdraw their support from an incumbent government without turning an election into a national security crisis and without any political structures.
For Nigeria, where elections are frequently characterised by violence, intimidation, vote buying, ballot box snatching and desperate attempts to manipulate results (because the voting processes are done and concluded in one day), the US experience offers an important lesson ahead of the 2027 general elections. Meanwhile, this comparison is about democratic principles and not an assumption that the US electoral system is without flaws.
Perhaps the most remarkable lesson is not simply that the Republicans lost but that the political system accommodated the outcome. President Donald Trump acknowledged the results, saying he was willing to accept them and prepared to work with Democrats. In Texas, Republican Governor Greg Abbott also conceded defeat to Democrat Gina Hinojosa. These developments illustrate an essential democratic principle: political office is temporary, and losing an election is not the end of a politician’s career or existence.
Nigerian politicians have much to learn from this experience.
For too long, elections in Nigeria have been treated as battles that must be won at all costs. The desperation to capture political power and run with it has encouraged thuggery, intimidation, vote buying, ballot box snatching, violence and allegations of electoral manipulation. In some instances, political disagreements have resulted in loss of lives, destruction of property and prolonged litigation.
This culture must end if Nigeria genuinely desires democratic development.
The US midterm election demonstrated that voters could express their dissatisfaction with an incumbent administration through their ballots. Democrats made significant gains in states traditionally considered Republican strongholds, including Texas, where James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton in the Senate race. Gina Hinojosa also defeated incumbent Greg Abbott in the governorship contest.
These victories were particularly significant because they showed that party loyalty and political strongholds do not necessarily guarantee electoral success, as posited last week here. Voters can change their minds, and political parties must constantly earn their confidence. This is why the talk about political structures and promises to deliver a certain number of votes to the president is childish and irresponsible, because Nigerian voters are of age like their counterparts the world over.
This is an important message for Nigeria ahead of 2027. Governors, ministers, legislators and other political officeholders should understand that the electorate is not their property. Nigerians must be allowed to make independent choices without threats, inducements or intimidation.
Also instructive is the importance of accepting electoral defeat. A democratic contest cannot function properly if candidates and political parties recognise elections as legitimate only when they win. Losing candidates must learn to congratulate their opponents, examine their shortcomings and prepare for another opportunity through legitimate democratic processes.
We must also commend the US electorate for using its voting power to communicate dissatisfaction with the ruling establishment. The Republican losses reflected voter concerns about economic hardship, living costs, corruption and the consequences of the administration’s policies. This is the essence of representative democracy: governments must remain accountable to the people who elected them.
Nigerians should embrace this culture of issue-based voting. Rather than allowing ethnic, religious and political affiliations to determine electoral choices, voters should interrogate candidates’ records, policies, integrity and capacity to address the nation’s problems. The cost of living, insecurity, unemployment, education, healthcare and infrastructure should matter more than campaign promises and political theatrics.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also has important lessons to draw. Credible elections require transparent procedures, effective deployment of technology, adequate security, timely communication of results and strict enforcement of electoral laws. Security agencies must remain professional and impartial, while political parties should discipline members who encourage electoral violence.
We recognise similar trends between Nigeria and the US elections, controversies surrounding excessive campaign spending, political polarisation and disputes. Meanwhile, we do not need to copy every aspect of the US system. What we must learn is the importance of strengthening institutions, respecting the electorate and making peaceful transfers of power an unquestionable democratic obligation.
Generally, what we need to know is that democracy is not measured by how fiercely politicians fight to retain power but by how peacefully citizens can change their government. The 2026 US midterm reminds us that the ballot should be more powerful than the bullet, and the people’s verdict should command respect.
As Nigeria approaches 2027, politicians must understand that no election is worth the blood of any citizen. The electorate, too, must refuse to sell its future for temporary financial inducements. Our democracy will mature when political leaders learn to lose with dignity, winners govern with humility and voters exercise their rights without fear.
Nigeria needs this lesson, and it must learn it now
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