Politics
#NigeriaDecides2023: 18 Contestants With Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso As Front-Runners Battles For Presidency
Today, citizens of Nigeria will participate in the first phase of the 2023 general election by casting their votes to elect a new president as well as 468 federal lawmakers.
The second phase of the election, which will feature the governorship and state assembly poll, is scheduled to be held in two weeks’ time.
This year’s general election marks the seventh since the restoration of democracy in Nigeria. The country previously held general elections in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019.
Today’s election in Nigeria will see the participation of 18 registered parties, which is the highest number in the country’s contemporary political history. Each of these parties is fielding candidates for the various positions being contested.
They are Christopher Imumolen (Accord), Hamza Al-Mustapha (AA), Omoyele Sowore (AAC), Dumebi Kachikwu (ADC), Yabani Sani (ADP), Bola Tinubu (APC), Peter Umeadi (APGA), Princess Ojei (APM), and Charles Nnadi (APP).
Others are Sunday Adenuga (BP), Peter Obi (LP), Rabi’u Kwankwaso (NNPP), Felix Osakwe (NRM), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Kola Abiola (PRP), Adebayo Adewole (SDP), Ado Ibrahim Abdulmalik (YPP) and Dan Nwanyanwu (ZLP).
Despite the large number of presidential candidates, political analysts and observers of Nigeria’s democratic process have categorized the election as a four-horse race. The leading candidates in this race are Mr. Tinubu, Mr. Atiku, Mr. Obi, and Mr. Kwankwaso. These four candidates have been identified as the frontrunners in the presidential election.
Regardless of who emerges as the winner of today’s election, the victor will be sworn in on May 29th to serve as the President of Nigeria for a four-year term. The newly elected President will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, whose second term in office will come to an end on that same day.
In addition to the presidential election, over 4,000 candidates are vying for positions in the National Assembly. Specifically, 1,100 candidates are competing for 108 out of the 109 seats in the Senate, while 3,057 candidates are contesting for the 360 seats in the House of Representatives.
However, due to the recent murder of the Labour Party candidate, Oyibo Chukwu, the election in Enugu East Senatorial District has been postponed until March 11th.
Despite this unfortunate event, the elections for the remaining positions in the National Assembly are still scheduled to hold as planned.
The lawmakers who are elected in today’s election will be inaugurated in June as members of the 10th session of the bicameral federal legislature in Nigeria.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reported that a total of 93.5 million Nigerians registered to vote in the general election.
However, only slightly over 87 million voters, who have collected their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC), will be able to participate in the poll. These eligible voters are spread across Nigeria’s 36 states, 774 local government areas, and 8,809 wards, and will cast their ballots in 176,846 polling units.
For the 2023 general election in Nigeria, a total of 1.5 million individuals have been selected to serve as agents for the 18 political parties that are participating in the election.
Despite some apprehension caused by the ongoing naira crisis and security challenges in the country, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured the public that it is ready for the polls.
INEC recently conducted a mock accreditation exercise to test its preparedness for the election, and its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, has emphasized the commission’s commitment to ensuring a free and fair process.
Yakubu also stated that INEC’s loyalty is to the country, and it will do everything in its power to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
Aside the deploying of thousands of ad hoc staff, with the NYSC contributing about 200,000 for today’s election, the electoral management body is employing new technologies, including the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Integrated Results and Verification System (IReV), which it believes are capable of preventing election rigging and ensuring the transparency and credibility of the polls.
To guarantee the safety of the voting process, Nigeria’s security agencies and military have assured the public that they are prepared to secure the polls. In total, close to a million personnel will be deployed in all the states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with the police accounting for over 310,973 of them.
Other security outfits also deploying their personnel include the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) with 102,000 personnel, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) with 21,783 personnel, the Nigeria Correctional Service with 11,336 personnel, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with 9,447 personnel, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with 9,447 personnel, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with 350 personnel, and the Nigeria Immigration Service with 21,640 personnel.
However, the political parties and their candidates have taken steps to ensure a violence-free process by signing pacts.
A total of 229 observer groups comprising 196 domestic and 33 international observers will also be deploying 146,913 observers for the election. Some of the foreign observers are drawn from the European Union, Commonwealth, African Union, ECOWAS, NDI and IRI. Similarly, media organisations and other relevant bodies have been accredited by the election management body to observe the election.
Following his observations that ‘the momentum was strong’ Matt Gaetz whom 47th POTUS elect, Donald Trump nominated for Attorney General has withdrawn.
Biztellers reports that this follows his meeting with Senate and the feedback, which included two women, represented by their attorneys, who accused him of having paid for sex.
Consequently, Gaetz placed on record his full commitment to seeing “that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history.”
His withdrawal according his statement on micro-blogging site, X, was based on his conviction that “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle”.
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In is view, “Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1”.
Gaetz wrote, “I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition. There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.
“I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.”
His backers have promptly encouraged to take his seat in the House of Representatives, having been elected to the house under the flag of the Republicans to represent Florida.
The Executive Governors from Nigeria’s South West have unanimously nominated Senator Ademola Adeleke as the chairman of the zone on the National Economic Council (NEC).
Adeleke is the Executive Governor of Osun State, southwest, Nigeria.
This, according to the Spokesperson to Governor Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, transpired on Thursday, at a meeting of the NEC.
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He noted that the meeting reviewed the state of Nigeria’s electricity sector and resolved to engage subnational structures to address current challenges in the sector.
“The meeting particularly sought to build on the devolution of the electricity sector and its movement into the concurrent legislative list which empowers state governments to regulate the sector in their respective areas,” he stated.
Consequently, the NEC, therefore set up an ad hoc committee to review actions in the sector by state governments and explore ways to ramp up activities through coordination, Rasheed highlighted.
The full list of members of NEC’s Ad-hoc Committee on National Electrification:
- Governor of Cross Rivers State, Bassey Out – Chairman, South-South
- Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda – Chairman, North-West
- Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya – Chairman, North-East
- Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke – Chairman, South-West
- Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma – Chairman, South-East
- Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang – Chairman, North-Central
- Hon. Minister of Finance, Wale Edun
- Hon. Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu
- Special Adviser, NEC and Climate Change, Rukaiya El-Rufai
- Special Adviser, Power Minister, Hon. Bolaji Tunji
- MD/CEO Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu
- MD/CEO Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Jennifer Adighije
- Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazak
- NEC Secretariat
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has announced its decision to back Northern candidates in the 2027 general elections, citing the urgent need to address the worsening socio-economic and security challenges facing the region.
In a communique issued after its National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna on Wednesday, the forum expressed deep concern over the economic state of Northern Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, attributing the region’s struggles to flawed governance and poor policy decisions.
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The ACF criticized the Federal Government’s economic policies, describing them as detrimental to the livelihoods of Northern citizens.
According to the communique, signed by the forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the policies have compounded the already dire economic conditions in the region.
The statement reads, “Arewa people remain at a great disadvantage, being already worse off economically compared to other parts of Nigeria. While economic reforms are indeed desirable, they should not impoverish the same people they are meant to serve. Policies must have a human face.”
The forum noted that the North faces chronic food insecurity, limited educational and vocational opportunities for youth, and a heavy reliance on small-scale economic activities.
“Livelihoods are currently dependent on micro activities. The region faces acute and chronic food insecurity; its youths lack education and skills training. Daunting as these may be, they can be reversed. The time to think big is now,” the communique emphasized.
The ACF also addressed the pervasive insecurity in the North, warning that the situation has begun to erode public confidence in the government.
“Security is an irreducible minimum of human existence. In this regard, insecurity in its various manifestations remains the most worrisome challenge of Arewa people, that has even started to corrosively undermine the authority of government,” the forum stated.
It condemned the government’s response to the crisis, arguing that the Federal Government has failed to meet its primary duty of safeguarding lives and property.
“That those whose responsibility it is to provide security will be saying they are doing their best is unacceptable,” the communique said. “The minimum duty of government is to safeguard life and property, and doing anything less is a failure.”
The ACF faulted what it described as the “flawed leadership selection process” under the Tinubu administration, claiming it has elevated individuals without the requisite competence or experience to key positions.
It urged the Federal Government to “review, reassess, reevaluate, and re-order the direction of its economic policies with a view to giving it the needed human face.”
Looking ahead to the next general elections, the ACF pledged its support for Northern politicians who demonstrate a clear commitment to addressing the region’s challenges and fostering national development.
“Notwithstanding the parlous state of Arewa’s glaring economic conditions, the policies of the current Federal Government have continued to make matters much worse,” the communique stated.
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