WITH the stage set for political parties to pick their candidates for the February 25, 2023 presidential election, KUNLE ODEREMI profiles the contenders.
It is a week to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline to political parties to round off their primaries to pick candidates for the 2023 general election. As the June 3 date approaches, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), undoubtedly, the main parties in contention for majority of elective positions at all levels, are confronted by disputes over the list of delegates that should determine candidates at conventions. There complaints arising from the conduct of congresses to choose the delegates, with allegations and counter-allegations of manipulation by powerful caucuses in the parties.
There are also issues in the camps of aspirants in both parties. Claims and counter-claims about compromise by the leadership of the parties persist. There are accusations that aspirants considered to be of high net worth having flirting with the top echelon of the parties through proxies in a plot to skew the process that will culminate in the emergence of candidates.
And it was discovered in the outgoing week, excerpt for a few presidential aspirants, others were overtly pre-occupied with fighting proxy wars, mudslinging and acts of political subterfuge, instead of presenting what they can do differently to reposition the hitherto Giant of Africa currently tragically in limbo or snoring abysmally from contrived sleep.
Be that as it may, the final stage of the intraparty contest will not be devoid of war chest, politics of godfather and regional interest and attachment. It is the submission of observers that at this crucial stage in the battle, no matter the form or mode of primaries to be adopted by parties, money is bound to play a major role in deciding who secures the tickets of PDP on May 29 and June 1 in the APC.
Another factor will be the influence of some individuals, who have always dictated the tone of events in the parties, behind the scenes because of their interest in the parties, certain individual actors within and in the bid to preserve their persona ego as well as economic and political interests. Such class of personalities cuts across different professional background and pedigree, with some of them having been key players in the establishment.
A total of 15 aspirants are in contention for PDP ticket, with the contestants cutting across all the six geo-political zones in the country. A number of them have since reduced the tempo of their nationwide consultations, campaign and discourse after the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP took a final decision on zoning. Among the leading contenders for the ticket are: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; governors of Sokoto; Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bauchi states: Aminu Tambuwal; Udom Emmanuel, Nyesom Wike and Bala Mohammed respectively, as well as a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and others.
Bukola Saraki
A former president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki is leading sustained campaign, consultations and meetings across the six zones. He has also unveiled and placed in the public domain of his blueprint to restore the glory and place the country on the path of prosperity if elected president. He is the most visible, outspoken and focused among the aspirants for the ticket of the main opposition party. According to the rating by some analysts, Saraki has an ample chance to emerge as the candidate of the PDP. Their view is that he has age on his side; he is also said to be highly connected coupled with his wealth of experience from both the private and public sectors. He equally boasts of administrative and managerial skill demonstrated in various capacities since Nigeria restored civil rule in 1999.
Peter Obi
Former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, appears to have lost steam in the past few days in his quest for PDP ticket. His initial aggressive campaign on different platforms complementing his crisscrossing the country ebbed, according to some observers, ostensibly due to the decision of the party to throw open its presidential race. His strategy of showcasing his bid by speaking on economic issues formed the fulcrum of campaign on social media platform. His bid appears suspect in the face of stiff challenge from the North with high calibre contestants.
Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains a strong contender for PDP ticket. He has combined television and other traditional media to re-register his name in the psyche of the populace as a dogged fighter in the face of opposition and adversities. With obvious signs that some major power blocs in the military establishment and northern oligarchy are not favourably disposed to his bid this time round, Atiku has maintained bold face in the bid to be president despite the failed efforts at different times in the past. He has the guts and logistics to prosecute the battle but how far he could go this time in the bid is in the belly of time.
Udom Emmanuel
For Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, his bid has enjoyed a lot of public interest by because of his tenacity to issue-based campaign. He refused to be distracted by campaign of calumny, blackmail orchestrated by some elements that he blocked another aspirant from lobbying PDP stakeholders in his domain. Emmanuel has consistently X-rayed critical issues of national importance and enunciated how he would address the multifaceted challenges as president in 2023. He does not place he is ambition on the North/South dichotomy but on the need for merit and good governance, using his scorecards on his stewardship as governor as the veritable pedestal and blueprint.
Aminu Tambuwal
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has summoned the courage to keep his presidential bid alive after a tragic incident in his state. He reinvigorated his campaign, raising very germane issues during his aggressive campaign, consultations and meetings with stakeholders and delegates in the final buildup to the convention. Buoyed by a relatively youthful age, agility and poise, Tambuwal has used his second bid for the presidency to set agenda on issues that bother on the core challenges impeding national stability and progress. He believes Nigeria needs a leader with passion, courage, vision and direction, the attributes he says he represents.
Bala Mohammed
Though Bala Mohammed has, on his part, been reaching out to delegates, his campaign suffered an initial setback following reports that he has indeed obtained nomination form and screened to secure a second term ticket as governor of Bauchi State. His camp has refused to dwell on the report despite the spread of the information in the public space. He is perceived by some observers as having an understanding with some power brokers for collaboration to guarantee the PDP ticket gets to a particular contender from the North.
Nyesom Wike
Also believed be among the key aspirants from the South is Governor Nyesom Wike, who has continued to fight all shades of political battles. In the course of those moments, many say he has stepped on toes, created enmity and suspicion. Yet, he says he has no regrets for his brand politics of ‘speaking truth to power in whatever form and guise. A major factor that brought back PDP to life after its defeat in 2019, Wike adds that he remains an uncompromising PDP faithful. So, his allies and friends hope for compensation to the man through the presidential primary of the party, even though power is not given a la carte.
APC aspirants:
Yahaya Bello
Governor Yahaya Bello is the only governor from the North-Central that announced his presidential bid in the APC. His campaign for that purpose has cut across platforms. His ambition has been ingrained in the subconscious of many stakeholders across different strata of the society, among them the youth and women, as well as professionals, artisans and peasants. According to Bello and his promoters, his main asset are the people, his success in mobilising millions of the youth to register as APC members, as well as his achievements in office as governor.
Ahmad Lawan
He is among the longest serving members of the National Assembly. He moved from being in the House of Representatives to the Senate, where he is the current president. Whereas he is perceived as the aspirant of a section of the northern political establishment, he has made spirited efforts to shed light on his ambition. Many also rationalise his bid on his relationship with the executive arm of government, alleging that he is the man Friday if President Muhammadu Buhari; that Lawan prefers to play along instead of being assert when the need to do so arises. Again, he has pooh-poohed the claim that he had turned the Senate to the rubberstamp of the executive.
Bola Tinubu
He is among the major pillars of the APC. His meteoric rise to political limelight is legendary, having moved from being a senator in the aborted third republic to becoming governor in Lagos State for two terms. A crowd-puller, with knack for engaging and galvanising quality professionals for leadership and service, Tinubu is involved in a battle that could thrust him to the zenith of his chequered political career. With a huge dose of resources that he has deployed to see to fruition of the political aspirations of many others, the national leader of the ruling party has them in abundance that are willing to support and collaborate towards achieving hi is long time dream of becoming president of the country. And in the bid, he has the backing of a number of governors and power brokers from the northern establishment. His main constituency, the South-West has a fairly large number of delegates, many of who are likely to identify with his aspiration, barring any external conspiracy and internal irreconcilable political difference.
Rotimi Amaechi
He is also regarded as the alter ego of President Buhari. The former speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and later governor of the state is among the governors of PDP that defected to team up with like-minded people to form APC in 2013. Two years after, he became the Minister of Transportation under Buhari who won the 2015 presidential poll. Vocal, bold and fearless, Amaechi has, however, had a running battle with his soulmate, Senator Magnus Abe, over the structure of the APC in Rivers. Nonetheless, the ex-governor is believed to have the prospect of picking the APC ticket as some party sources claimed the president prefers power shift to the South and with the possibility of the party fielding a Christian.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo
He parades an intimidating credentials spanking across a broad spectrum of human endeavours, especially in academics, administration, law, rights activism and mentoring. He hails from Ogun State, which has over the years, dating back to the pre-independence era constituted, the source of quality leadership, professionalism and industry for Nigeria as a whole. He played a pivotal role as the commissioner fir justice and attorney general of Lagos State in the Tinubu administration and currently constitutes part of the face of the Buhari government.
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