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.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has affirmed the leadership of former Senate President David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing a suit filed by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide challenging the party’s leadership.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman held that Abejide’s suit lacked merit and upheld the preliminary objections filed by the ADC, its former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
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The judge ruled that the court lacked the jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of the ADC, describing the matter as non-justiciable. He further held that Abejide failed to establish that any of his legal rights had been violated by the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.
Justice Liman also ruled that the lawmaker failed to exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism before approaching the court, a factor that further weakened his case.
The court resolved all three issues raised in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.
On the question of whether David Mark and Aregbesola emerged as the party’s leaders in accordance with the law, Justice Liman held that the transfer of leadership from former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu to Mark did not violate any provision of the ADC constitution.
The court further agreed that the July 2, 2025 meeting, where the leadership transition began, was a stakeholders’ meeting that preceded the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on July 29, 2025.
According to the judgment, the NEC meeting, which was monitored by INEC, validly produced David Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary of the party.
Justice Liman consequently declared that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola complied with the ADC constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and all relevant party regulations.
The court also imposed financial penalties on the plaintiff and his counsel.
Abejide was ordered to pay ₦2 million each to all the defendants, while his lawyer was fined ₦10 million in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, was filed on February 15 by Abejide against the ADC, Ralph Nwosu, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and INEC as the first to fifth defendants respectively.
In the originating summons, Abejide sought eight reliefs before the court, including an order nullifying Nwosu’s handover of the party’s leadership to David Mark and Aregbesola during the July 2, 2025 stakeholders’ meeting held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
He argued that the handover was illegal, unlawful, null and void and urged the court to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary.
The lawmaker also sought a perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognising the duo as leaders of the ADC, maintaining that their emergence did not comply with the requirements of Section 82 of the Electoral Act and other relevant provisions.
However, the court rejected all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, affirming that the leadership transition was valid and carried out in accordance with the law.
The judgment marks a significant legal victory for the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC, effectively ending the legal challenge against the party’s current leadership and strengthening its position ahead of political realignments and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has appointed actor-turned-politician and party chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, as his official campaign spokesperson.
Okonkwo announced the appointment in a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, expressing gratitude to Atiku for entrusting him with the responsibility.
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“I give God all the glory for being appointed by His Excellency Atiku Abubakar as his spokesperson. I thank His Excellency for the immense confidence reposed in me,” he said.
The former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesperson described the appointment as a testament to Atiku’s leadership style, noting that the former vice president embraces dialogue, inclusiveness and compromise rather than taking offence when associates express differing opinions.
According to Okonkwo, discussions with Atiku and other leaders of the ADC addressed concerns surrounding the political interests of the South-East within the framework of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the current political realities.
He said the engagement reassured stakeholders that the interests of the South-East had been recognised and safeguarded despite the prevailing challenges.
Okonkwo also appreciated Dr. Kashim Imam, former ADC National Chairman Ralphs Nwosu, and Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Dr. Ekene Onwuka, for their efforts in strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
He further thanked his family, supporters and friends for their prayers and encouragement, while seeking continued support as he assumes the new role.
“I still covet your prayers for wisdom, courage, provision and protection needed to carry out this challenging responsibility, which will usher in a glorious and great Nigeria,” he added.
The appointment comes weeks after Okonkwo publicly criticised reports that the ADC was considering a South-South vice-presidential candidate, arguing that such a decision would further marginalise the South-East, which has not produced either the President or Vice President since 1999.
Despite the concerns, the ADC later named former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate after the former vice president secured the party’s presidential ticket.
The Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Abia State, Peter Azubuike, has expressed confidence that the party will record a landslide victory in the 2027 general elections, declaring that it would emerge victorious “before 2 p.m.” if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were to conduct an election today.
Azubuike made the assertion on Monday while addressing journalists at the party’s state secretariat in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
According to him, the Labour Party has overcome its internal challenges and is now fully united and mobilised ahead of the next general elections.
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He maintained that the party remains the strongest political force at the grassroots in Abia, pointing to its current political representation across the state as evidence of its popularity.
“If INEC conducts an election today, we will win before 2 p.m. because we are the only political party with a strong grassroots presence. We have 184 councillors, 17 local government chairmen, and 20 members of the Abia State House of Assembly. That is evidence of our widespread acceptance and grassroots support,” Azubuike said.
The LP chairman also defended the party’s adoption of the direct primary system for selecting candidates ahead of the 2027 elections, describing it as a transparent process that promotes fairness and reduces internal disputes.
He dismissed reports suggesting that only one nomination form was sold in some constituencies, insisting that several aspirants contested for party tickets in different areas.
“It is not true that only one form was sold. In several constituencies, multiple aspirants purchased forms. In fact, not all sitting lawmakers secured the ticket. A clear example is the Osisioma/Obingwa/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency, where the incumbent did not get the return ticket,” he stated.
Azubuike said the party had continued to strengthen its structures from the ward level to the state level and remained optimistic of another overwhelming victory in 2027.
He further stated that the faction of the Labour Party led by Senator Nenadi Usman is the one recognised by INEC, adding that the leadership had already been granted access to the electoral body’s portal for uploading candidates.
The party, he added, remains committed to internal democracy, grassroots mobilisation and effective leadership as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
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