Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo
THE release of the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI) Momentum Index has once again renewed conversations about governance, accountability and development across Nigeria.
While the index placed Enugu, Jigawa and Abia among the three most improved states in terms of momentum, it also ranked Edo among states that recorded comparatively lower momentum during the period under review.
Such rankings inevitably attract public attention, political debate and policy interpretation. Yet, beyond the figures lies a more fundamental question: can any assessment of governance truly command public confidence if it does not adequately capture the lived experiences, perceptions and daily realities of the citizens it seeks to measure?
*Governance Beyond Statistical Scorecards*
Development cannot be reduced to a collection of fiscal records, institutional reports and statistical indicators. At its core, governance exists to improve the quality of life of ordinary people.
Therefore, any performance index that relies heavily on official documentation while giving limited consideration to citizens’ experiences risks presenting only a partial picture of reality.
Data may reveal government spending patterns, debt profiles, budget implementation and institutional reforms, but statistics alone cannot fully explain whether communities feel safer, whether roads have become more accessible, whether healthcare delivery has improved, whether schools are functioning effectively or whether government policies have restored public confidence.
The ultimate purpose of governance is not simply to achieve measurable outputs, but to create meaningful outcomes that citizens can see, feel and experience.
*When the People’s Voice Is Missing*
This is where the credibility of governance rankings deserves careful examination. Any evaluation framework developed without robust and meaningful input from citizens raises legitimate questions about its ability to reflect reality at the grassroots level.
Governance is validated not only through reports prepared in offices and boardrooms but also through the voices of the people who experience the consequences of public policies every day.
A performance index that fails to sufficiently incorporate public perception risks shifting attention towards technocratic compliance rather than democratic accountability. It may unintentionally suggest that development is best understood through expert analysis alone, while the views of citizens—the very people whose welfare government exists to serve—remain secondary.
Such an imbalance weakens the principle of participatory governance.
*The True Measure of Good Governance*
The real test of governance is found in everyday realities.
Are families safer today than they were before? Are farmers able to access and cultivate their lands without fear? Can businesses operate in an environment that encourages investment and expansion?
Are children receiving quality education? Do hospitals provide affordable and timely healthcare? Are public resources managed transparently? Are citizens given a voice in decisions that affect their lives?
These are questions that no spreadsheet, however sophisticated, can answer on its own.
*Beyond the Rankings: The Edo Story Still Unfolds*
Within Edo State, supporters of Governor Monday Okpebholo argue that his administration has prioritised efforts to confront longstanding governance challenges. They point to initiatives aimed at improving security, addressing criminality and cult-related violence, rehabilitating critical road infrastructure, strengthening education, improving healthcare delivery, revitalising agriculture and creating a more favourable environment for economic growth.
For these supporters, these interventions represent practical governance whose success should ultimately be assessed by the communities directly affected.
Whether every policy has achieved its intended objectives remains a matter for continuous public evaluation. However, it is equally important that external assessments provide sufficient space for citizens to express how government actions have influenced their lives.
Public perception is not an optional addition to governance measurement; it is one of its central pillars.
*Democracy Demands Participatory Evaluation*
Nigeria’s democracy depends on accountability flowing in both directions. Governments must remain accountable to citizens, while independent evaluators must also be accountable to principles of transparency, fairness and methodological integrity.
Reports that shape public discourse should clearly explain how citizens’ views are gathered, how representative those views are and how public perception is balanced with institutional and administrative data.
Without such transparency, questions about methodology and credibility will naturally emerge.
*Development Is More Than an Index*
Governance rankings have undeniable value. They can encourage healthy competition among states, inspire reforms and provide useful benchmarks for policymakers.
However, they should never become substitutes for democratic engagement. Development cannot be reduced to a numerical score detached from the people whose welfare represents the ultimate purpose of governance.
The most enduring measure of progress is not merely an index or ranking. It is public confidence.
When citizens feel safer in their communities, witness improvements in infrastructure, access quality education and healthcare, enjoy economic opportunities and believe that government listens to them, governance acquires genuine legitimacy.
That legitimacy cannot be created by statistical models alone.
*The People’s Verdict Remains Supreme*
As discussions continue over the 2026 Momentum Index, one principle should remain clear: governance assessments must reflect not only audited financial records and institutional metrics but also the authentic voices of citizens.
Development measured without meaningful public participation is incomplete. Progress declared without public validation remains open to scrutiny. And any index that seeks to influence national conversation must recognise that the most authoritative judgment on governance comes not from consultants alone, but from the people themselves.
The people’s verdict remains the ultimate measure of democratic success.
- Erasmus Ikhide contributed this piece via: ikhideluckyerasmus@gmail.com
