John Adoyi, PBA Journalism MenteeSince the inception of the Fourth Republic, Nigerians have been clamouring for leaders to give them hope, engender economic prosperity, support veritable means of livelihood and tackle insecurity and other developmental challenges.
Many had in 2015 thought that President Muhammadu Buhari would be able to provide all the answers and save the people from the trenches. Seven years after, the search has become even more imperative.
Ahead of the 2023 general election, three major presidential candidates have emerged: Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All progressives Congress (APC) and Peter Obi in the Labour party; all getting ready to slug it out in the polls.
Of course, in a multi-party democratic country like Nigeria, there are other political parties who are having their imprints of participation in the electoral system, but this trio (APC, PDP & LP) seem to be getting the buzz more.
The candidates have made their marks in different forms of engagements, both in the political and economic spaces.
So I thought it good to put before us their achievements and struggles in the political terrain.
Atiku Abubakar
As the saying goes, a dream does not become reality through magic, rather, it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.
The Waziri of Adamawa is a determined, and hardworking politician who has committed huge economic resources, time and energy to run the show unsuccessfully for five consecutive times under four political parties.
1990 was the genesis of his political career, this was after he resign from the Nigerian Customs Service in 1989 to contest for the governorship election in Adamawa state under the Social Democratic party (SDP).
Unfortunately for him, he was served breakfast by his people. He took that in good faith and decided to bite from the biggest share in Nigeria’s politics.
Atiku in 1993 contested presidential primaries of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) but lost to Moshood Abiola. He has also been the presidential flag bearer of the Action Congress (AC) in 2007, APC in 2015, PDP in the 2019 presidential election and now the 2023 elections.
He vied for the office of the president under the same SDP in 1993. He lost at the primaries to MKO. He was pained but I’m sure, he was glad that he wasn’t in the position of Abiola after the election was annulled.
He dusted his shoes and decided to rest a little bit and when Abacha died in 1998 and with General Abdulsalami Abubakar transition programme came the 1999 elections which saw the emergence of Olusegun Obasanjo who picked Atiku as his running and consequently they won and he became vice president from 1999 to 2007. He he had prior to that, won the governorship election in Adamawa state, but was invited by Obasanjo to be his vice for the 1999 presidential election and so he did.
He was Obasanjo’s vice for two term of eigth years. The first four years was like a match made in heaven for both of them because they achieved a lot together.
But the second term saw him having a frosty relationship with Obasanjo which resulted in him being involved in a bitter public battle with his boss. Some analysts said part of the fallout was that the boss wanted some provisions of the constitution amended for an opportunity of having the third term.
When their tenure was over, Atiku left the party and went to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) where he contested the presidency but lost. He was dusted and like the prodigal son, returned to the PDP to contest in the 2011 election, but also lost at the primaries to Jonathan.
Undeterred by those unsuccessful attempts, the Waziri of Adamawa tried again in 2015 under the newly formed APC but also lost to the General Muhammadu Buhari during presidential primaries.
As nothing appears working out for him in the APC, he went back home to PDP where he lost again the presidency to Buhari in the 2019 election. Now, he is back again in the race under PDP having won the party presidential ticket. Maybe 2023 is the turning point in his political career; we keep watching.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
The former governor of Lagos State, also known as ‘Jagaban,’ and more recently, Baba Agbado and the Emi lokun, is regarded as the godfather in Lagos politics. He is also the APC national leader.
Tinubu has risen through the ranks of Nigeria’s politics to be the godfather and now the Presidential flag bearer of the APC having won the presidential ticket in the party’s last national convention.
His political career started when he won the ticket for the Lagos West Senatorial District under SDP during the short lived 1993 democracy.
After that, he went on political exile following the onslaught of military regime that persecuted pro-democracy activists. Tinubu later returned and contested in the 1999 general elections in Lagos State and he became the 12th governor of the state.
This is where he built his giant strides in politics and became the godfather of Lagos. During his Inauguration in May 1999, he made this speech that has come to define his political career.
He said “My good people of Lagos State, as the new torch-bearers of hope, we will be required to break ground and brave path, and with your support and cooperation, we shall overcome.”
He was very instrumental in the forming of the APC, so he became the national leader of the party even though he wanted to actually contest the inaugural election primaries of the party in 2015.
In his days as governor, he did a lot of reforms that paved the way for Lagos State to become what many would describe as one of the best states in Nigeria in terms of physical development.
READ ALSO: Exclusive: How Governor Zulum Stepped Down For Shettima As Tinubu’s Running Mate
The creation of the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the densely populated metropolitan Lagos was part of the new found approach of expanding popular participation in the running of the affairs of the state.
The reforms he did with the civil service, the health and education sector and the fixing of roads amongst others gave him a rich resume.
By May 2007, his eight-year running of Lagos was met with standing ovation which was adjudged to have taken him to a lofty height in Nigeria’s politics.
Nevertheless, Jagaban is a man that has been cloaked in controversy since he started his political career. Many people do not believe he is 70 because according to them, he has no concrete proof of that. He looks more of 90 than 70 years, they say.
Bode George a former Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, had alleged that Tinubu is not a Lagosian and should live Lagos and return to his state.
As Lagos governor, he fought with then President Obasanjo over revenue generation in the state and in the court, he got the best of Obasanjo.
More recently, his words of graduating from Chicago University has been called into question by those who alleged that he has no primary and secondary school certificates.
He had in an affidavit submitted to INEC as part of documentation when he contested for governoship in 1999, stated that he lost his credentials during military invasion of his home while he was on exile in the 90s.
He has also been accused of being involved in illicit drug business when he was in the U.S. with the traducers claiming that he had forfeited some money running into millions of dollars to the United States government.
Despite all these being thrown at him, he continues he seems undeterred and pushing to get elected as president in 2023, promising to replicate what he did in Lagos in the entire county.
Peter Obi
Obi, former governor of Anambra State, had aspired under the PDP but left the party shortly before its primary election on account of some untoward events that went against his ethics and principles about politics and governance.
He went to Labour Party and secured the party’s presidential ticket.
With his campaigns so far regarding how to tackle the economic, security and other challenges affecting the country, Obi seems to be endearing himself in the hearts of a group of Nigerians who as observed in various media fora, have come to identify with his message. Some say he may be the messiah they have been searching for since 2019.
He is adjuded as a man different from both the PDP and APC who has come to quench that yawning and be the third force to dislodge the old political horses at the corridors of power.
Obi became popular in the Nigeria’s political terrain when after three years of battle, he finally won his mandate as the governor of Anambra State in 2006 under the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), leading to removal of the PDP, Dr Chris Ngige who had bey then spent three years in office as governor. wrongly made the governor. Obi also won a second term and left office in 2014, when the tenure expired.
He obtained a Bachelors degree in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and later went to study in Harvard Business School and London School of Economics. He also went to Oxford University, Lagos Business School and a host of other institutions where he acquired knowledge in business and financial management. He has held different management positions in the financial sector which include:
Former Chairman, Board of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Former Chairman, Fidelity Bank Plc; Former Chairman, Guardian Express Mortgage Bank, Ltd; Former Chairman, Future Views Securities, Ltd; and other positions he held in the private sector.
While he was governor, Obi flourished and helped Anambra State develop to the best of his abilities.
As a governor, he held the position of both the Vice Chairman, Nigerian Governor’s Forum and the two tenure Chairman of Southeast Governor’s Forum. He was also a Member of the Presidential Economic Management Team.
He carried out a lot of reforms in his state and was recognised as Best Governor by the Millennium Development Goals Office (OSSAP-MDGs) and the UNDP in the implementation of their programmes in Nigeria, and also, Silverbird man of the year 2012.
Obi left APGA in 2014 over misunderstanding with some party leaders and went to PDP. During 2019 election, he picked as the running mate of Atiku.
A lot of youths are raising different platforms including the media to help him win the mandate in 2023.
From town hall meetings to speeches in different events, his name has been flying high with youths across the country hoping he wins the presidency.
The recent surge in turn of people especially the youths for voter registration in different parts of the country is said to be as a result of the Obi movement.
Obi unveiled his running mate, Dr. Yusuf Dati Baba-Ahmed who many also described as a perfect fit for th ticket given his stance on issue about governnace in the country so far.
Observers have said the support by Obi’s followers known as ‘Obi-dients’ should not just be on social media but be reflected in participation during the polls in 2023.
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