As the year 2023 is ending, it is important to say that the year was filled with many happenings in the political circle of Nigeria. The year started with high expectations and preparations both by the masses and the political class many of whom had won primary elections for the 2023 general elections, which held across the nation in February and March 2023. These gladiators did not leave any stone unturned in their quest to occupy various offices from the state houses of assembly to governorship seats in many states of the federation, the National Assembly and the Presidency. In this write-up, OLADIPUPO AWOJOBI recalls top political gladiators in the outgoing year.
Muhammadu Buhari
To many people, former president Muhammadu Buhari is not much of a politician. He was actually a military general, who later became a head of state via a military coup in December 1983. Many years after, Buhari came back into political reckoning having been overthrown in 1985 by the then Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.). Buhari tried his luck severally until he became elected as president in 2015. It was now time for him to leave of- fice after the spending the eight years allowed by the constitution in office and there were apprehensions that he might not hand over power to a southerner despite the fact that it was agreed that power must shift to the south after eight years of ruling by a northerner.
It was also believed that Buhari might not be able to organise a free, fair and credible general elections. The rest is now history as Buhari eventually handed over power to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the same All Progressives Congress (APC). The issue of credibility is still being debated, but at least some of the issues surrounding the elections have been resolved by the court including that of the presidential election. Buhari’s naira redesign policy that led to scarcity of the nation’s current in the first three months of the year appeared to have dwarfed whatever he might have achieved in the eight years that he spent in office.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is perhaps a man of destiny, who is believed to have paid his dues from 1992, when he became a senator and when he had to run abroad after the late Gen. Sani Abacha took over power and was hounding many politicians. Tinubu would later join the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) abroad with whom the military was challenged and made to leave power for democratically elected government in 1999. Tinubu later came back to Nigeria after the death of Abacha in 1998, which paved the way for a return to democratic rule as championed by a former head state, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd). Tinubu became the governor of Lagos State for eight years from 1999 to 2007.
After that, Tinubu became a phenomenon and it was a matter of time before he made his “lifelong ambition” known to Nigerians. Despite all odds, Tinubu emerged the Nigerian president under the APC and he defeated his rivals at the Supreme Court, which agreed with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that he is the authentic winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential Election. However, Tinubu’s economic policies of fuel subsidy removal and unification of naira exchange rates to foreign currencies have attracted much criticisms as the twin policies have made life more challenging for millions of Nigerians.
Atiku Abubakar
Nigeria’s former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is another Nigerian with an ambition to rule the country as president. Atiku has been on the issue right from 1992, when he contested the presidential primary election with the late Chief MKO Abiola under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). After the events that characterised the election, Atiku did not give up and he was back in 1999 to be among top Nigerian political players under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He later became the Nigerian vice president under former president Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007 with am ambition to contest as president in 2007. He had to cross to the then Action Congress in 2007, even as vice president, but he lost to the late Umar Musa Yar’Adua, who became president under the PDP.
Yet, Atiku did not give up and he is perhaps the Nigerian that has contested for presidency most. He would later contest the presidency in 2011, 2019 and 2023. He was the Presidential Candidate of the PDP in the last general elections, where he emerged the 1st runner-up to the winner. There are signs that the Adamawa-born politician has not given up on his ambition.
Mr Peter Obi
The former governor of Anambra State created an upset in the election. Peter Obi became the deciding factor as it was believed that he rocked the boat of the PDP as the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party. It was believed that many, who would have voted for the PDP across the country, voted for Obi and that this gave President Bola Tinubu of the APC an opportunity to win at the polls. Being a South Easterner, many people from the region voted for Obi across the country whereas, in the opinion some people, the votes ought to have been for the PDP.
Indeed, the figures of the presidential election pointed to this fact as President Bola Tinubu of the APC polled 8,794,726 votes, 36.61%, Abubakar Atiku of the PDP polled 6,984,520 votes, 29.07%, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party scored, 6,101,533 votes, 25.40%. It goes without saying that adding just half of the votes of Peter Obi to that of Atiku would have given the former the day.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo
The former Nigerian vice president started his political career in Lagos State as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under the then governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu from 1999 to 2007. His becoming the vice president was with the consent of Tinubu as Muslim-Muslim ticket was nullified prior to the 2015 general elections by the then newly former All Progressives Congress (APC). As Tinubu would later revealed, he had a choice of suggesting three Christians to replace him as the vice presidential candidate of the party to fill the slot of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the then presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari was from the Congress for Progressives (CPC).
The two parties came together with others to form the APC. So, the fact that Osinbajo contested the APC presidential primary for the 2023 general elections with his political godfather, Tinubu has continued to be a subject of debates and it was believed that Osinbajo could not flow with Tinubu during the campaigns based on this and it appears he is out of the picture at the moment.
Nyesom Wike
The former governor of Rivers State, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike is still as controversial. Save for the intervention of President Bola Tinubu in the crisis between him and his godson and Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, Wike would have continued the battle between him and the governor. Even at that, Wike is making waves, both for the right and wrong reasons, at the FCT. While he has started a “transformation” in the seat of power, his demolition and threats of demolition of structures and other policies have continued to place him in the eyes of members of the public
Mahmud Yakubu
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmud Yakubu is occupying a hot seat that has attracted praises and criticisms from many quarters. Millions of Nigerians faulted Yakubu over the failure of BVAs in some parts of the country during the general elections, the failure of INEC to electronically transmit the results of some of the elections, especially presidential, and the poor outing of iRev in the election. Many Nigerians believe that INEC is not an unbiased umpire in the whole process.
The off-cycle elections that took place in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo States recently have also attracted criticisms for the INEC Chairman. It is only natural that the occupier of the office would be suspected and whatever the INEC Chairman does would still attract mixed feelings. Of course, the judiciary is there to adjudicate and correct any error made by the commission at any point in time.
Kashim Shettima
Kashim Shettima is a former governor of Borno State, and the current Vice President of the country. The first bone of contention for him prior to the election was the fact that he is a Muslim just like the President. This was used against the APC before and during the election as many people believe that Shettima is a religious bigot as a northerner. However, Shettima is not deterred and he has continued with his duties as the Vice President of the nation. While there were suspicions that he might not cooperate with President Bola Tinubu, Shettima has so far proven to be a man that is ready to work with the president for the success of the government.
He has been representing him anytime occasion demands and time will tell if the duo would work together or ambition to succeed the president if they are voted for a second term would separate them. Though Shettima has not shown any sign of eyeing the presidency, it is believed that this might soon pan out as it is the way of Nigerians.
Godswill Akpabio
Godswill Akpabio, the incumbent President of the Nigerian Senate, is another politician that attracted much attention in the country in 2023. He is seen as a candidate of the executive and that his senate presidency would be more of rubber stamp than independence. Akpabio appears to be proving his critics right with the speed with which the 10th Assembly approves any proposal from the executive. While some would argue that this is good for democracy, others believe that democracy is about arguments and debates before any proposal is approved unlike what is currently happening in the country.
Love or hate him, Akpabio, who recently celebrate his 61st birthday, has continued his duties undeterred with promises to ensure that the government of President Bola Tinubu succeeds and that Nigerians get the best that they deserve under the current dispensation despite the current economic situation in the country.
