The road to the Aso Rock is long, expensive and exhausting. The initially bushy path to the next national elections in Nigeria is getting clearer, and the expectations for a peaceful process among us, now points to a need for intense worry: welcome to elections in Nigeria.
Becoming a candidate is only the beginning of the election process. Successful candidates must both persuade voters that they deserve their individual votes and garner the critical votes of electors in the Electoral College.
Conversations around the race for the 2023 presidential election has commenced with several pundits coming up with permutations and likely candidates to emerge as the nation’s President in the next electoral cycle.
Prospective voters will soon experience scenes that will bring reminiscence of last presidential elections in Nigeria which resulted in a veritable cliff-hanger.
Nigeria, no doubt has a complex electoral system (where, in addition to winning an outright majority of votes, a candidate must also poll 25 percent of the vote in two-thirds of the country’s 36 states, as well as in the federal capital territory of Abuja). The elections bring palpable fear in the minds of the voters, supporters and candidates who eagerly await a validation of the umpire.
The 2023 General elections are drawing closer, with about 12 months away, and expectations are high. Different candidates have declared interests in the exalted Presidential seat in Abuja. Many aspirants have already removed their gloves and are going across the country, engaging in consultations with the influential stakeholders and persons of political and social clout.
However, there still seems to remain a prospective candidate, whom virtually all Nigerians await his declaration for the Presidential race. His deafening silence on the issue however, has come resoundingly as a “Yes, I am in this race” to many of his supporters, who are ready to put in all their weight behind his candidature.
Most of his supporters and cheerleaders, believe strongly that with him in the saddle of power, Nigeria can change for the better. Similarly, they think the youths would have a say in what goes on in their country, with his emergence. They are quite optimistic that youths will be given a chance or have a voice if he emerges.
The incumbent Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has been nudged from different quarters to pick up the baton for this exhausting, yet relieving race of the Presidency. Many groups, organisations and individuals have come out to proclaim that Prof Osinbajo is eminently qualified above the other personalities gunning for the presidential ticket.
Some even claim that in normal situations, there should be a line of succession.
Prof Osinbajo has the quality, and maybe what he needs to build more is the courage because Nigeria needs somebody who can speak up and intervene more often in crisis facing the people.
Many have agreed that the current Vice President has all the credentials to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. Some even say that anybody who has been Vice President for 8 years should be a frontline candidate. Beyond this, Osinbajo has been described as extremely capable technocratically to lead this country in 2023. He has all the qualities and is naturally in the lead ahead of the others.
As at the time of putting this piece together, over 100 registered groups have emerged, showing interest to support the pro-Osinbajo progressive project. One amongst them, is the Osinbajo Think Tank, with a sonorously carved name, that strongly vouches for the personage, intellectual capacity and prospects embedded in Nigeria’s most celebrated Vice President in history.
The group believes Osinbajo’s strong international background and grassroots connection is an added advantage for him.
The Osinbajo Think Tank, a non-governmental political group has begun the sensitization of voters, persuading them on the need to support the candidature of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, PYO, when he declares his interest in the presidential race. An added advantage for Osinbajo, according to the group, is the perception of his management of the economy, when he was the Ag. President, which will count for him if he were to run for the presidency. His handling and deputising for Buhari clearly demonstrated his capacity for leadership that’s needed for a complex political terrain like Nigeria.
The group, like others, believe the All Progressive Congress can leverage its 59% control of the entire country and pitch a strong candidate like PYO. With this, APC stands a better chance.
Additionally, the group through its Media Coordinator, Olugbenga Olaoye said it is going headlong into this pursuit, because it believes virtually all blocs that make up APC seem to be satisfied with the ‘omoluabi’ ethos which Professor Yemi Osinbajo has always exhibited during the eight years as the VP.
Former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida had hinted in an interview, at the qualities majority of Nigerians should consider in their choice of the next President. He suggested that individuals in their 60s should be the focus of Nigerians as potential presidential candidates in 2023. A subtle pointer to IBB’s preference of PYO, I must say.Do you doubt it? IBB had further said such persons should have deep knowledge of the economy, must have contacts across the nation and must have been traversing the geo-political zones, marketing their acceptability and capacity.
Regardless of his political base, it is also unarguable that he might have learnt on the job, and his understanding of the nation’s economy is not in doubt.
Going by the criteria by the foremost Statesman, no doubt, among all the eminently qualified Nigerians, who have shown interest in the race, the cap fits Yemi Osinbajo better. Professor Yemi Osinbajo meets all the criteria to succeed President Buhari.
Olamide Adeniji is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspaper
