By Razaq Bamidele
Going by the pronouncement of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), that the next presidential election will hold in February 2023, one can safely say that Nigerians still have about 18 months to wait before filing out again to elect President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor. Before then, the whistle to declare the commencement of the electioneering must have been blown. After that, National Conventions of the various political parties to elect their presidential flag bearers would follow. It is then that the country would be under the siege of politicians on the podium, showcasing their candidates with a view to wooing the electorate to their sides.
Although the country is yet to reach that stage, it is not news that politicians with presidential ambition are already expressing their 2023 intentions tactically either through proxies or through other avenues like public lectures, empowerment programmes, sponsored sports fiestas or scholarship awards, among others. The most common of the tactics is sponsoring campaign groups across the board and making it look as if the groups are voluntarily urging them to run for the office. They do this to evade being sanctioned for jumping the gun and, therefore, running foul of the electoral law.
Right now on the Nigerian political turf, not a few would-be aspirants are already showing their ambitions towards the 2023 year of election through some of the aforementioned tactics. And they spread across the country and across all the political parties without minding the principle of power rotation.
A few of them would suffice here to buttress the above observation.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
It is no more news that the former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is getting set to join the presidential race whenever the whistle for that is blown by the INEC. Though he has not openly made his intention known, his body language, coupled with a couple of ‘Pro Tinubu for President,’ campaign groups around is an indication that the 69-year-old astute politician is eyeing the Aso Villa seat in 2023.
One of the leaders of Tinubu for President, Senator (Prince) Dayo Adeyeye, has been traversing the whole country, selling his candidature for the people. The fact that Tinubu has not come out to deny Adeyeye is another testimony that the Ekiti Prince is speaking the mind of the former Lagos State governor and strong member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO).
On Thursday, August 12, a support group, Tinubu Support Group (TSO), met in Lagos to tell the gathering that, it would do everything necessary to draft the former governor into the race because of his ability to continue the good work President Buhari has started.
The leader of the group, Otunba Akin C. Ibesanmi, said the reason for wanting to draft Tinubu into the 2023 contest is borne out of the belief that, with his experience, he is the best material to succeed Buhari.
Atiku Abubakar
Former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is not new to the presidential contests, having participated in the race a couple of times. His ambition for an executive position came to fruition in 1999 when he won the gubernatorial race in Adamawa, his home state. But as providence would have it, he was beckoned upon by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo to be his vice.
Since that time, after his stormy eight years in the Aso Villa, playing a second fiddle, the respected business mogul, philanthropist and former Nigeria Customs Service officer, has not succeeded in his quest to become president. The more he has been trying since leaving office in 2007 as a proverbial ‘spare tyre,’ the more he has been unlucky even after jumping from one party to another.
And his body language since then suggests or rather confirms that his over 70 years old physique is not tired yet to try it again in 2023.
Yemi Osinbajo
Yemi Osinbajo, a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is the current vice president. Like other suspected presidential aspirants, this brilliant but humble academic-turned politician has not openly declared intention to succeed his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2023. However, feelers have it that he is also testing the water through proxies. Unconfirmed reports have it that, at a meeting of aspirants from the South-west geo-political region held in Abeokuta, Ogun State recently, a high ranking lawyer was said to have introduced himself as standing in for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The report even went further that the meeting was attended by five other aspirants from the zone.
However, the portably built erudite scholar and legal luminary is, no doubt, eminently qualified to collect the leadership baton from his boss in 2023. Recall that, after being a law lecturer at the prestigious University of Lagos, he served in the Tinubu cabinet as the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General in Lagos State.
Just last Thursday, August 12, a support group for the vice president rose from its meeting calling on the good people of Nigeria to rally support for him to succeed Buhari. The group under the leadership of one Ahmed Muhammed said it had concluded an arrangement to write letters to notable stakeholders in the country to see reasons Osinbajo should become Nigeria’s president in 2023
Rochas Okorocha
Rochas Okorocha, the past governor of Imo State, is currently a Senator. His aspiration to govern this country did not start yesterday. The vocal politician and philanthropist of note contested the All Progressives Congress, APC’s presidential ticket in 2015 along with contestants like former Kano State governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the late Leadership Newspaper publisher, Nda Isiah. At the end of the contest, the current president, Muhammadu Buhari, won and eventually won the general election where he defeated the incumbent, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Till date, Senator Okorocah, if his body language is anything to go by, appears still nursing the ambition to be president after Buhari.
Hamza Al-Mustapha
Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, unarguably, needs no introduction in the political horizon of Nigeria. The Yobe State (North-East)-born military intelligence officer was the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, between 1992 and 1998 when his principal died.
And due to various allegations levelled against him, including the alleged murder of Alhaja Kudrat Abiola, Al-Mustapha faced several probe panels and was incarcerated for about 15 years. Along the line, he was convicted and sentenced to death in 2012. However, in July 2013, the Court of Appeal in Lagos overturned the death sentence and acquitted Al-Mustapha of all murder charges. The Supreme Court later confirmed his innocence.
Having thrown that sad episode of his life behind him, Al-Mustapha, in 2017, joined partisan politics, aspiring to become president. Surprisingly, Al-Mustapha turned out to be a great grassroots mobiliser with teeming youth across the country, as followers. He even founded a political party, the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN). But because of the peculiar nature of Nigeria’s politics and politicians, he was tactically shoved aside but later eventually emerged as the presidential candidate on another platform – the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN). His ambition was to contest the 2019 presidential election before he backed down due to reasons best known to him.
However, now that 2023 is around the corner, reports have it that the intelligent retired military officer is staging a comeback to start where he stopped in 2019. , His Personal Assistant, Mallam Idris Galadima, Confirmed this to our reporters through his whatsApp platform. Galadima’s terse response read thus: “Yes, go ahead (and publish). In sha Allah, he will run for presidency in 2023.”
John Kayode Fayemi (JKF)
Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, the second-term Governor of Ekiti State is no doubt an astute politician of no mean repute. The erudite scholar of world standard is also qualified eminently to govern this country. Although like others mentioned above, he has not told anybody of any intention to contest 2023 presidential election, his body language indicates that he will not decline if approached to render more services to the nation at a level higher than where he is present.
The former Minister of Mines and Solid Mineral Resources, who is also a die-hard democrat, powerful pro-democracy and human rights crusader, is also a member of the famous National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that swept the military jackboot out of power in Nigeria.
If the renowned activist governor with baritone voice eventually succumbs to pressure being mounted on him by those wanting the best for the country, Fayemi stands a good chance to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2023.but as the matter is now, it is certain that, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi’s political activities in and outside the office are being monitored by the people with a view to making an informed decision on him at the fullness of time.
Babatunde Raji Fashola (BRF)
Just like Professor Osinbajo, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). And it will amount to an understatement to say that his name rings the bell on the political turf of the country, having been bestriding the political landscape of Nigeria like a colossus that he is.
It is not a gainsaying that Fashola has been a household name since his time as a two-term governor of Lagos State between 2007 and 2015. His current position as a super minister in charge of infrastructure, coupled with his superb performance all this while has endeared him to the heart of not a few Nigerians, who might want him to succeed his boss, Buhari.
A renowned activist and political analyst, Comrade Razaq Olokoba, in an interview said the 2023 presidential cap fits Fashola. According to him, Fashola’s superlative performance as governor of Lagos State and now as minister is enough testimonial for him to be considered for higher duty in 2023.
Yahaya Bello
Yahaya Adoza Bello, 45, is the Governor of Kogi State, serving his second term in office. Apart from his body language, nobody has ever reported him, as showing interest in the 2023 electoral exercise though he never cautions a couple of support groups, urging him to contest.
For instance, a pro-democracy organisation supportive of his presidential ambition, the All Nigerians United For Yahaya Bello Organisation (ANYABO), is all out to mobilise for his 2023 aspiration should he show interest. Recently, the group reacted strongly to the call by the 17 governors of southern Nigeria that the next president must come from the South in 2023.
In a press statement jointly signed by the group’s national chairman, Saidu Bobboi, and national coordinator, Adebayo issued at its Abuja national headquarters, ANYABO seriously kicked against what it called “unnecessary heating up of the polity by governors, who should have been busy with solving the myriads of the challenges, confronting their states but chose to concentrate on political subterfuge”.
ANYABO says it will be mobilising thousands of southerners to the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abuja headquarters in the next few days to ask the party’s leadership not to succumb to the southern governors’ attempted blackmail but must ensure a level-playing field for all qualified party members interested in running on the party’s platform for the highest office in the land irrespective of their region or religion.
The group added that it would impress it upon the party’s leadership and all Nigerians that the governors did not represent the opinions of the mass of southerners, who are in love with Governor Bello and rooting for him to run for the presidency in 2023.
ANYABO has continued to insist and propagate the political gospel of Yahaya Bello, as the next best thing to happen to Nigeria in 2023. The group says it will do everything within the confines of the law to mobilise Nigerians in their millions to vote Yahaya Bello, as Nigeria’s next president “because of his outstanding pedigree, as governor, his incredible capacity, his exemplary personality and his audacious engagement of socioeconomic challenges in his state that has brought peace, security and development to his state.
Against the foregoing, the youthful governor of Kogi State is likely to mount the podium soon to seek for votes towards becoming president in 2023.
Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, HCN
One of the hottest debates in the polity is the need for a president of Igbo extraction and
Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the youthful Minister of State for Education, a highly cerebral politician, with a doctorate degree in law is eminently qualified to wear the cap.
Nwajiuba’s sterling leadership qualities are fully expressed in how effective he has been in carrying out the assignment his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari assigned to him.
A bridge builder of note, Nwajiuba enjoys chummy relationship with his substantive minister and has a wide network of friends across the political spectrum in all parts of the country.
He is a former member of the House of Representatives, where he was the chairman, Committee on Land, Housing and works from 1999 to 2003 before contesting the Imo governorship on the platform of APP in 2003, 2007 and as CPC candidate in 2011.
He had challenged the then incumbent governor, Chief Achike Udenwa of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Imo State governorship election in 2003.
Nwajiuba was a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, APC. In fact, he was secretary of the Constitution Drafting Committee that produced the Constitution of the merger committee to form the the party in 2013.
He coordinated the political pressure group that bought 2019 All Progressive Congress, APC, presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for President Muhammadu Buhari.
He coordinated the political pressure group that bought 2019 All Progressive Congress, APC, presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nwajiuba, left the APC to contest and win election into the House of Representatives to represent Okigwe South Constituency on the platform of the Accord Party in the 2019 poll and had hoped to emerge as speaker..
He had returned to the ruling APC soon after and was confirmed ministerlater.
Many groups, such as Young Nigeria Voices are working hard to drag Nwajiuba into the 2023 race. A poster of him and Borno governor, Professor Zulum, hasd even been sighted, as the perfect match for the race. Even in an online voting organised by an Igbo group to select a likely Igbo candidate for the 2023 presidential race, Nwajiuba also trounced all other nominees, a clear indication that his chances are very bright if he decides to throw his hat in the ring.
Attahiru Muhammadu Jega
Another erudite scholar, Professor Attahiru Jega, is also a known personality in the country.
The 64-year-old Professor also needs no introduction either in the academic circle, political sphere or in the realm of human rights activism. It is on record that the vocal erudite scholar was once the Vice Chancellor, Ado Bayero University, Kano, and later the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Right now, the former electoral umpire has also become one of the politicians that may likely aspire to be president in 2023. He is now a member of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). According to him, his decision to join politics and the choice of a political party was to save the country “from corrupt Nigerian politicians.”
Though Jega has not confided in anybody he wants to contest for president in 2023, his last statement above has suggested that he has something presidential up his sleeves.
Omoyele Sowore
Comrade Omoyele Sowore, a renowned human rights activist and publisher of the Sahara Reporter, is also a presidential hopeful to expect in 2023. Sowore, arguably one of the youngest aspirants like Yahaya Bello has not hidden his interest to rule this country. This manifested when, in 2018 he founded a political party, African Action Congress (AAC), on which ticket he contested the 2019 presidential election.
Though the 50-year-old activist cum politician has not indicated an interest in 2023 contest, he could not be ruled out of the race at least to achieve his much-cherished revolution for the country.
He is seen as the representative of the teeming youth of Nigeria in some quarters.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned names are just some of likely aspirants in 2023. And this analysis has not foreclosed emergence of more aspirants to join the race, especially when the lid is officially lifted for proper electioneering.
