Ensuring politicians fulfill their campaign promises in Nigeria is a complex challenge, given the historical context of underperformance, weak institutions, and a political culture often driven by patronage rather than public service.

However, a multi-faceted approach involving strengthened institutions, active citizen engagement, and transparent processes can significantly increase accountability.

Here's what can be done:

I. Strengthen Electoral and Legal Frameworks:

1. Enforce Electoral Laws Rigorously:

   • Independent INEC: Ensure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is truly independent, financially autonomous, and insulated from political interference. Its officials must be appointed based on merit and integrity, not political affiliation.

   • Prosecution of Electoral Offences: Establish a dedicated and effective Electoral Offences Commission with the power to investigate, prosecute, and punish those who engage in electoral malpractice, including vote-buying, ballot box snatching, and manipulation of results. This deters politicians from relying on illicit means to win.

   • Real-time Electronic Transmission of Results (IREV and BVAS): Continuously refine and enforce the use of technologies like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) for real-time transmission of results. This enhances transparency, reduces opportunities for manual manipulation, and ensures that votes count.

2. Legal Backing for Campaign Promises (Debatable but Explorable):

   • While legally binding all campaign promises might be impractical (due to unforeseen circumstances or resource constraints), there could be mechanisms to make certain key promises more formal. For example, a "Presidential/Gubernatorial Performance Contract" could be publicly signed with specific, measurable targets tied to promises. This could create a moral and semi-legal obligation.

3. Judicial Reform:

   • Strengthen the judiciary to ensure it is truly independent, impartial, and efficient in handling election petitions and corruption cases. Long, drawn-out legal battles and technicalities that overturn electoral outcomes erode public confidence and accountability.

II. Enhance Transparency and Oversight:

1. Open Government Initiatives:

   • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Implementation: Vigorously implement and publicize the FOIA, making it easier for citizens and media to access government records, budget details, and contract information. Penalize government agencies that refuse to comply.

   • Open Budget and Procurement Portals: Mandate and effectively operate public online platforms where detailed government budgets (federal, state, and local) and all procurement contracts are published in real-time, in an easily understandable format. This allows for public scrutiny and tracking of funds.

   • Asset Declaration Verification: Strengthen the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to rigorously verify asset declarations of elected officials and publicly prosecute those who make false declarations or acquire illicit wealth.

2. Strengthen Oversight Institutions:

   • Independent Anti-Corruption Agencies: Ensure anti-corruption bodies (EFCC, ICPC) are truly independent, well-funded, and empowered to prosecute without fear or favor, regardless of the political affiliation of the accused.

   • Vibrant Legislature: Encourage a more independent and assertive legislature that genuinely performs its oversight functions (e.g., budget oversight, public hearings, investigations) over the executive arm, rather than being a rubber stamp.

III. Empower Citizens and Civil Society:

1. Informed Citizenry and Civic Education:

   • Voter Education: Continuously educate citizens on their rights, responsibilities, the electoral process, and the importance of holding leaders accountable beyond election day.

   • Promise Tracking Tools: CSOs can develop and popularize user-friendly platforms (websites, apps) that track politicians' campaign promises against actual performance, providing public scorecards and reports. BudgIT's work in tracking budget implementation is a good example.

   • Issue-Based Campaigns: Encourage citizens to demand issue-based campaigns from politicians, focusing on concrete policy proposals rather than personality cults or ethnic/religious appeals.

2. Active Civil Society and Media:

   • Support for CSOs: Provide a conducive environment and support for CSOs working on good governance, accountability, and electoral reform.

   • Investigative Journalism: Encourage and protect investigative journalists who expose corruption and non-performance, providing incentives and legal protections for their work.

   • Whistleblower Protection: Implement and strictly enforce robust whistleblower protection laws to encourage citizens and civil servants to report corruption without fear of retaliation.

3. Community-Level Accountability Mechanisms:

   • Town Hall Meetings: Mandate regular, accessible town hall meetings for elected officials to interact with constituents, explain their progress, and address grievances.

   • Community Scorecards: Develop and use community-led scorecards to assess the performance of elected officials on specific local projects and promises.

IV. Political Party Reform:

1. Internal Party Democracy:

   • Encourage and enforce internal party democracy, where candidates emerge through transparent and fair primaries based on merit and track record, rather than imposition by godfathers or financial power.

   • Party Accountability: Political parties should also be held accountable for the promises made in their manifestos.

V. Attitudinal Change:

1. Shift from "Stomach Infrastructure" to Performance:

   • A long-term effort is needed to change the mindset where voters demand immediate, often monetized, gratification ("stomach infrastructure") during elections, rather than demanding long-term performance and accountability. Education and economic empowerment play a role here.

2. Leadership by Example:

   • Political leaders themselves must demonstrate genuine commitment to fulfilling promises and holding others accountable, setting a positive example.

Ultimately, ensuring politicians fulfill their campaign promises in Nigeria requires a sustained, collective effort from all stakeholders. It's about empowering citizens to demand accountability, strengthening institutions to enforce it, and fostering a political culture where public service truly comes before personal gain.