2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN RETROSPECT (Part one)

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The recently concluded general elections in Nigeria was one of the most keenly contested in the annals of our nascent democracy since 1999. The elections were greeted with so much excitement and enthusiasm from Nigerians, most especially young Nigerians between the ages of eighteen and thirty years. The dynamics that shaped the contest were quite different from previous elections. The incumbent administration of President Muhamadu Buhari and his party, All Progressives Congress APC will be passing the baton of leadership to a new one in May. The APC's administration from all indices performed below per. Under their watch, Nigeria was code named as the poverty capital of the world, over 50 million Nigerians slide into poverty, banditry and kidnapping were rife in the North, especially in north west, oil production dropped as a result of massive oil theft, unemployment rose to over 30%, our railway infrastructure were attacked and passengers kidnapped in Kaduna and Edo stations, students were home for over eight months, inflation hit double digits, farmers displaced from their farming communities, secondary school students kidnapped from schools in Yobe and Zamfara states, just to mention but a few.

Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief when the nation's electoral body, The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released the time table for the 2023 general elections in February 2022, signaling the commencement of political fireworks for 2023, by so doing, the contest was now officially declared opened by the electoral umpire. In every space, be it on social and conventional media, market places, schools, offices and other public spaces, the topic was on the general elections, this excitement was not unconnected to the passage of the new electoral act 2023 as amended by the nation's National Assembly. For the first time, the new law empowered INEC to deploy technology in our elections. INEC chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu and Mr Festus Okoye, INEC's National Commissioner assured Nigerians that election results at the polling unit level will be uploaded to the commission's viewing portal in real time before proceeding to the collation centers.


In the light of these assurances, Nigerians, most especially the youthful population became increasingly interested in the political process. They deployed the only tool that has not been completely basterdized by the government, "social media". The Nigerian masses quickly aligned with Mr Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party L.P, former governor of the Eastern state of Anambra, former vice presidential candidate in previous election, a banker and former chair of the Nation's security and exchange commission. Other aspirants included the strong man of Kano politics, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso of New Nigeria's Peoples Party NNPP; Perennial runner, Alhaji Atiku Abubaker of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and the king maker in South Western state of Lagos Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC.


Major Presidential Candidates
The 2023 elections marked a watershed in our history, never have we seen young Nigerians so involved in the electioneering process before. From the streets of Calabar, Zaria, Mina, Benin, Uromi, Numan, Gusau, Awka, Owerri, Lokoja and Warri; the Nigerian youths matched, and campaigned vigorously for the candidate of the Labour Party. This political Tsunami shocked the fabric of our political foundation. This group mobilized and organized millions of Nigerians to get their PCVs, the ID that qualifies citizens to vote in Nigeria. Even under dehumanizing conditions by INEC in the process of getting the PVCs, the Nigerian youths exercised restrain and pushed on. This eventually culminated into one of the biggest political movement in Africa today, the OBIDIENT MOVEMENT. The birth of this movement has remained an unsolved puzzle in the political clime of Nigeria. Never have we seen selfless Nigerians worked so hard, volunteering and putting in the works to ensure that their candidate, Mr. Peter Obi Of the LP emerged victorious.


The Obidient movement controlled the narratives in the build up to the elections, they elevated the level of our political discuss to a new pedestal, they ensured most candidates discussed the issues even as most of them were more interested in ethnic and religious politics that have kept Nigeria bleeding in her knees. The presidential elections have always been two horse races, in 1999, the PDP and defunct A.D held sway; in 2003 and 2007, it was between ANPP and PDP; in 2011 PDP and CPC; 2015 and 2019 PDP and APC. The 2023 presidential election was a four horse race between the aforementioned candidates in paragraph 3 of this article. Uncertainty rained supreme, the political hegemonic ruling class in Nigeria ran from pillars to posts. The Nigerian people were "woked' and it deemed on them that this was an election different from bala blu, blu blu bulaba.............


to be continued


Adamu Suleman
decosule@gmail.com
(whatsapp only +2347019698735 Twitter @suledeco)

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