The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the date for the 2023 general election. The commission had earlier announced February 25, 2023, as the official day when the new President and Vice President and the national assembly will be elected.
In APC and PDP alone, there are about 20 Nigerians seeking to become the next president of Nigeria. Everyone wants to become the president. By law, everyone has the right to contest, let them come out, and test their popularity as long as the process is free and fair.
Nigerians need a strong and intelligent leader because they are tired of the hanky panky of politicians and their collaborators. It is no doubt that politicians play mind games with Nigerians in their flowing robes and position themselves strongly for quick wins.
They lack a visionary sense of purpose to take Nigerians to the promised land, which explains our current situation. "Motion without Movement".
Who will be the next president of Nigeria? Who among the presidential aspirants has what it takes to initiate a bold vision for Nigeria and act on it?
You would agree that we can only project from the list of potential aspirants available in APC and PDP without prejudice to the other registered political parties. Nigerians are unlucky to be saddled with recycling.
Let's not fool ourselves; if you don't have the money, you can't win in any election in Nigeria, not even the local government chairmanship. That is the dilemma, but where do they find the money for electioneering?
The source of the campaign funds running into billions of Naira is never declared to date.
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in a statement recently, said he is worried about the security situation in the country. He averaged that the extenuating circumstances could threaten the general elections in 2023.
APC seems to be the obvious hungry party seeking the presidential seat again. The three top contenders in APC, from deep surveying, are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the leader of the party, Vice President Yemi osinbajo, and Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation.
However, the first candidate to declare his presidential ambition was Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; he was a first-mover advantage. A few months after, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo finally declared his intentions to contest for president. It was a surprise to many Nigerians.
Being the vice president of Nigeria since 2015, Osinbajo believes he is just one step away from occupying the exalted and powerful office of president, and I must say it is well within his right to contest.
Osinbajo, a brilliant legal mind, knows that his declaring his ambition was the ultimate betrayal of his loyalty to Tinubu. Well, the vice president Yemi Osinbajo should know what he's getting into.
Osinbajo's high-profile position gives him a great view of what goes on in the government circles. Tinubu being the Democratic activist and technocrat, hit the ground running in January and has been travelling around the country, engaging with critical stakeholders.
However, the majority of Nigerian citizens believe Tinubu should get the ticket because, according to them, he will be a strong leader, as he had shown during his reign as governor.
Osinbajo, on the other hand, has demonstrated his credentials as a public intellectual with the power of oratory and elocution. However, he could still be worrying about the trending news that his appointment was allegedly made to favour the Redeem Christian Church of God(RCCG).
Rotimi Amaechi appears to be favoured by the northern establishment to take over the position from President Muhammadu Buhari, but it remains what it is though; becoming president goes beyond wishful thinking.
The other APC contenders are Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state; Dave Omaha, governor of Ebonyi state; senator Orji Kalu, senator Rochas Okorocha; and pastor Tunde Bakare. Funnily, these are the players in the second division league of 2023 presidential politics.
The People's Democratic Party (PDP) commenced its screening of 17 presidential candidates on its platform on Friday. This is done ahead of the party's primary election next month. PDP, however, disqualified two aspirants. This process was conducted by the presidential screening committed in the legal house of Abuja.
The candidates appeared in front of the panel, led by the senate president, David Mark. Among the screened aspirants were former vice president Atiku Abubakar, the former senate president Bukola Sasaki and Pius Anyium, former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi and Bauchi and Sokoto state governors, Bala Mohammad and Aminu Tambuwal, respectively. Others were River state Governor Nyesom Wike, publisher Dele momodu, former banker Mohammed Hayatu Deen, pharmacist Sam ohabunwa, Akwa Ibom state governor Emmanuel Udom and the only female presidential candidate, Oli Marielaiela.
Also screened were the former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose; a lawyer, Charles okwudilu; Chikwe Kalukalu and Cosmos Ndukwe.
The question becomes: With all this competition, who will be the next president of Nigeria?