…the hurdles, their chances
They are not neophytes, they are not new on Nigeria’s political firmament. They have infact traversed the landscape for decades with some of them occupying some choice political offices in the corridors of power in the past and present dispensations.
It is, therefore, no surprise that ahead of the 2023 presidential contest, many of them have now begun, in earnest, to oil their political machineries, though stealthily, while they also keep their foot soldiers combat-ready for the impending battle royal that the party primaries for the selection of candidates and the presidential election itself promise to be.
With the gathering momentum and the razzmatazz of the 2023 presidential election already in the horizon, Nigerians have begun to speculate on the likely successor to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Though a few of the aspirants have announced their ambition to run for the number one political office, pundits believe that the political gladiators have already begun their moves and consultations at the grassroots and parallel levels.
According to them, a number of people have been on the monitoring lens of the public, being the major people that will vie for the presidential position under the banners of the different political parties, as events unfold.
Our correspondent took time to x-ray some of these personalities being speculated by Nigerians to be eyeing the plum job of Nigeria’s president.
ASIWAJU BOLA TINUBU
Top among those aspiring to succeed President Buhari in 2023 is the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
From indications, Tinubu appears to be the favourite candidate of the Southwest geo-political zone for the most coveted seat of Nigeria’s next president.
The political bigwig and former two-term governor of Lagos State is well respected all over Nigeria and has structures across the country, a feature which places him at a vantage position for the plum job of Nigeria’s next president.
Though he is yet to formally declare his presidential ambition, underground work has been speedily going on with different groups touting his name as the worthy successor to take over from Buhari.
Prominent among these groups is the South West Agenda led by former Senator Dayo Adeyeye.
Adeyeye, who is the leader of the group canvassing for a Tinubu presidency in 2023, said the South West Agenda (SWAGA ’23) is a group of politicians from the South-West who are “championing a common front for the Yoruba race.”
Adeyeye, a former Ekiti senator and minister, alongside Soji Akanbi, a former senator who represented Oyo South between 2015 and 2019, have been working assiduously to sell Tinubu’s candidacy to the Nigerian electorate for the 2023 presidential poll.
Other politicians in the pro-Tinubu group include Oyetunde Ojo, an in-law to the APC national leader; Bosun Oladele, a former member of the House of Representatives and Rotimi Makinde, also an ex-lawmaker.
Others are Ifedayo Abegunde, immediate past Secretary to the Ondo State Government; Kafilat Ogbara; Chairman of Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Area, Lagos, Toba Oke; Deji Jakande, Gboyega Okegbemi and Ahmed Olaofe.
According to Adeneye, “The South West Agenda (SWAGA ’23), a group of rainbow coalition of like-minded politicians of South West extraction, had visited the palaces of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi to intimate them with the plan to support Tinubu for the 2023 presidential election.
Tinubu’s bid for the number one political office in Nigeria is also bolstered by the support being offered him by the past and present Speakers of the six state Houses of Assembly in the South-West. This set of influential politicians have already thrown their weight behind the APC national leader and are planning to win the grassroots in the South-West for him.
The support in the South-West for Tinubu even cuts across party lines as the likes of the former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose and some other chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in the zone are said to be sympathetic to his cause and stealthily supportive of Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
But the Tinubu presidential ambition may pose some kind of dilemma to the ruling APC as the growing rank of opposition to Tinubu in the Lagos chapter of the party is giving a headache to even the big wigs in the Presidency. Speculations are rife that a Kwara-like rebellion that overthrew the Saraki hegemony in 2019 could be replicated in Lagos should Tinubu be adamant about his presidential ambition. But analysts argue that the APC national leader has a joker that he’s still keeping under wraps.
Ii was learnt that an unwritten understanding existed in 2014 between the CPC and ACN camps of the APC to rotate the presidential ticket between them. This, perhaps, explains the rationale behind Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola’s recent reminder of the APC leaders not to jettison the agreement they had at the beginning.
Similarly, other APC big wigs like the interim chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, who was central to the formulation of the understanding, have consistently reminded Buhari of this pact. Sources said it was one of the matters discussed recently when Akande paid a visit to President Buhari with a retinue of South West APC chieftains.
Recall that a merger of ACN (led by Tinubu), CPC (led by Buhari himself), ANPP (led by Dr Ogbonnaya Onu who has been Minister of Science & Technology since 2015) and New PDP (led by Rotimi Amaechi) resulted in the formation of the APC in 2013.
Political watchers say If President Buhari keeps to this agreement, the South East will be out of the equation, leaving the field wide open to leading contenders like Tinubu, Gov Kayode Fayemi, Babatunde Fashola and Vice President Osinbajo. But religion will make a Tinubu-Fashola ticket unattractive to all Nigerians.
VP YEMI OSINBAJO
The strident demand for power shift to the southern part of the country has brightened the chances of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as he’s consistently being tipped by some political analysts as a possible successor to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Osinbajo is a strong contender for the seat of the nation’s president, but he may be constrained to shelve his presidential ambition in 2023 in deference to his godfather and political master, Tinubu.
Tinubu it was who made him politically as he was said to have recommended Osinbajo in 2015 to Buhari as his running mate and vice presidential candidate.
Although he is a surrogate and loyalist of Tinubu, VP Osinbajo’s name continues to pop up as the most likely successor to his principal, President Buhari. The style of governance and capability displayed by Osinbajo during the periods he had served as the country’s acting president during Buhari’s absence from the country is said to have endeared him to some APC stalwarts and many Nigerians.
He is believed by many to have displayed the capability required to succeed his boss in 2023, having dared the notoriously powerful Aso Rock cabal in taking some crucial national decisions during his boss’ absence from the country.
However, his undoing may be the same cabal, who may be waiting for him in 2023 to take their pound of flesh, having stepped on their toes on each occasion that Buhari had handed over the reins of governance to him while travelling out of the country.
Also, the Tinubu factor may work against Osinbajo’s presidential ambition as he may have to bow to pressure to defer his own presidential ambition to allow his political godfather to have a shot at the nation’s number one political office.
But Osinbajo himself, on the other hand, is believed to have shown very little or no interest in the 2023 presidential race. Analysts say inspite of his maintenance of very good working and personal relationships with the 36 state governors because of his position as chairman of National Economic Council, Osinbajo has remained aloof and has not shown interest in joining the fray. According to them, he prefers to focus on his responsibility as a dutiful VP absolutely loyal to his boss, Buhari. The VP is said to have confided in close confidants that his major preoccupation is to be a successful Vice President, and would not be disappointed if at the end of the day, he does not succeed his boss in 2023.
There are also claims that Osinbajo has never been politically ambitious as he was said not to be aware of his nomination in 2014; and having become aware of the huge challenges confronting the Buhari administration in the governance of the nation, he’s only interested in supporting his principal to succeed.
The VP is above said to be “very circumspect” regarding the 2023 politics.
But with the competence, personal comportment, professional conduct and loyalty to his boss, Osinbajo may turn out to be the proverbial dark horse in the race towards 2023 presidential contest.
EX-VP ATIKU ABUBARKAR
Former Vice President Atiku Abubarkar, like every other person stands, a good chance to contest the presidential position in his party, PDP, come 2023. He’s a veteran of the presidential contest.
The Waziri of Adamawa has been receiving various calls to test the waters one more time, especially now that he appears to be the major bigwig from the northern part of the country.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party seems to be getting ready to allow the former Vice President’s ambition once again, as the party Chairman, Uche Secondus, said the floor is open for him, among others.
Secondus said this while reacting to questions on Atiku’s candidacy in 2023.
“There is no room for discrimination. Everyone is qualified; both young, old, governors, non-governors are qualified to contest and we have the space for everyone–if you win, you become our candidate. The door is open to everybody,” Secondus had said.
Meanwhile, Segun Sowunmi, Atiku’s spokesperson, said the chances of the former Vice President are very bright, adding that issues which Atiku hold dare to his heart have yet to be dealt with by the Buhari government.
While the PDP seems set to give its presidential ticket back to Atiku Abubakar, the party is divided over the former VP’s plan to seek the ticket once again. Many PDP governors and National Assembly members have kicked against it. But it’s not clear if this will force the party to have a rethink.
EX-PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN
Moves to draft ex-President Goodluck Jonathan into the 2023 presidential contest began since late last year when he marked his birthday in Abuja. The occasion was used by some APC governors and party chieftains to enter into negotiations with Jonathan on the possibility of his return to the Aso Rock Villa on the platform of the ruling party.
Although Jonathan himself has not come out to tell anybody he’s interested in the plum job, there are strong indications that he’s already oiling his political machinery for the battle ahead.
Last weekend, four All Progressives Congress’ Northern state governors and some chieftains of the ruling party in the South hatched another plan to draft Jonathan into the 2023 presidential contest, FirstNews Online learnt.
The 10 APC chieftains, most of whom are from Jonathan’s home state of Bayelsa, it was gathered, have been charged with launching the project to draft the former president into the forthcoming presidential race.
The team, it was learnt, had been given the mandate by the four Northern governors to begin a media campaign to promote Jonathan’s 2023 presidential ambition.
Already, the team of APC chieftains led by a close ally of the former president who is also from Bayelsa, it was learnt, have met on two different occasions to map out their strategies for embarking on the campaign for Jonathan’s candidacy.
A source said that the arrangement is for the team of Southern APC chieftains to kick off the campaign for Jonathan’s return in 2023 while the Northern governors, who have promised to back him will convince the ruling party to give him its presidential ticket.
The first step towards achieving this, it was learnt, is to immediately launch a campaign for the South-South to complete in 2023 the second term of the eight-year tenure truncated by Jonathan’s defeat by President Buhari in 2015.
According to the source, “Ten known politicians mainly from Bayelsa State have come together as a group. Their job is to start a media campaign on the need for the South-South to complete its tenure.
“They believe that since every other zone that produced the President ruled the country for eight years, the South-South should be allowed to complete its tenure.
“The four Northern governors backing the return of Jonathan in 2023 wanted the South-South to start the campaign first while they play a supportive role in midwifing the process. They want the argument to originate from their zone of interest.”
It was further learnt that the Southern APC chieftains had already met with Jonathan to intimate him of their plans, ahead of their meeting with the Northern governors behind the former president’s 2023 return to Aso Rock Villa.
Although Jonathan has shown interest in the project, according to the source, the former president has not denied link with the 2023 agenda.
“The plan of these APC governors is to allow power return to the north after four years since Jonathan is entitled to only four years. The North believe that their tenure under the late President Musa Yar’Adua was cut short and they need to quickly return to power after 2023″, he added.
He also said notable figures in the Bayelsa State Government had bought into the project as they are also ready to defect to the APC.
“If the plan goes well, Jonathan will defect to the APC and significant number of politicians in PDP across the South-South, including Bayelsa will join him”, he said.
Jonathan’s kinsman and public analyst, Wisdom Ikuli, had earlier said the former president deserved a return to Aso Rock Villa as the helmsman.
“If we say we are fighting for equity and we believe in justice and fairness, then, the people of South-South should be given the remaining one term because they have done one term. When they complete that one term, it will now rotate to another geo-political zone,” he said.
But some APC chieftains have warned that the APC governors continued plot to bring Jonathan back to Aso Rock on the APC platform may lead to the collapse of the ruling party.
Jonathan himself has not publicly declared his intention to run in 2023, but he has also not denied nursing a presidential ambition.
EKITI GOV KAYODE FAYEMI
Although the Ekiti governor has not formally declared his intention to run for president in 2023, some of his supporters are already drumming up support for his bid for the office.
Already, there is a disquiet in the fold of the APC in Ekiti State following an endorsement of Governor Fayemi for president in 2023.
APC caretaker committee led by its state Chairperson, Paul Omotoso, had openly endorsed Fayemi for the presidency in 2023.
But an opposing group within the party, and under the aegis of APC Stakeholders Forum, has rejected the call on the governor to run, arguing that the governor could not benefit from a zoning arrangement he is well known to be opposed to.
But Omotoso, while speaking at an event organised by Olusegun Osinkolu in Ayede Ekiti, Oye council area of the state, said the party would drag Fayemi into the presidential race with force, if he refused to join the race willingly.
He said, “We can say boldly that APC will win the Ekiti governorship election in 2022, because Governor Fayemi has done creditably well and we don’t want another reckless party that will destroy Ekiti again,” Mr Omotoso, represented by the APC caretaker Publicity Secretary, Ade Ajayi, said.
“On the 2023 presidency, time has come for the President to come from Ekiti. That is why we are pleading with you to support Governor Fayemi.
“Though Governor Fayemi has never said he wanted to contest, we will force him to plunge into the race, because of his competence, dedication and loyalty to APC.”
However, a statement by the Secretary of the stakeholders’ forum, Bamigboye Adegoroye, in Ado Ekiti, denounced Omotoso’s claim that all the stakeholders had resolved to back Fayemi’s presidential ambition.
But it’s an open secret that Fayemi’s interest in the plum job has pitched him against the supporters of the APC national leader, Tinubu. He’s reputed to be one of those that may drag the presidential ticket with Tinubu if the APC eventually zones its presidential ticket to the South in 2023.
KADUNA GOV NASIR EL-RUFAI
A group known as “Nasiriya Organisation” had disclosed that it had filed a suit to compel the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to contest the 2023 Presidential election.
A journalist, John Shiklam, noted that since the group made the declaration, there have been insinuations that the governor is sponsoring the group to promote himself and test the waters for his presidential ambition ahead of 2023.
This has attracted mixed reactions among the supporters of the governor and his critics.
The Nassiriya Organisation, is said to be a support group for the alleged 2023 presidential ambition of the governor. There are insinuations that the group is being sponsored by the governor to “test the waters for his Presidential ambition.”
But so many factors back home in El-Rufai’s Kaduna State may hinder the governor’s 2023 presidential ambition.
The Kaduna governor has stepped on many toes in his home state, and those he has offended with his brand of politics may be positioning themselves to take their own pound of flesh, especially in the run-up to 2023.
The zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the South in 2023 may also truncate El-Rufai’s presidential ambition in 2023.
KOGI GOV YAHAYA BELLO
Members of the Kogi State House of Assembly have kicked off the campaign for Governor Yahaya Bello’s 2023 presidential ambition.
The Kogi lawmakers were recently at the Niger State House of Assembly, where they appealed to their colleagues to support Bello’s ambition.
The lawmakers were led by the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole.
Kolawole had said, “We in the Kogi State Assembly have resolved and endorsed Governor Yahaya Bello for the 2023 presidential election and we have agreed to consult all the state houses of assembly in the country for their support and subsequent votes while we appeal to you all to support this crusade.”
In his response, the Speaker of the Kogi House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, described Yahaya Bello’s ambition as a worthy project.
But analysts say Bello have to go the extra mile to secure the support of all Nigerians regarding his stance on some salient national issues, including his opposition to all claims about the existence and reality of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
EX-ABIA GOV ORJI KALU
As the call for Igbo presidency appears to be gaining acceptance, hope seems to be coming alive for the former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzo Kalu.
The politician, who was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, was believed to have pitched his tent with APC ahead of the 2023 presidential contest.
Kalu is believed to be one of the favourite candidates, if the next president would be produced from the South-East geo-political zone.
Recall that Kalu has said he would contest the 2023 presidential election if he gets the required support from the electorate.
Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the present 9th Senate, stated this when he visited former Head of States, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, at their residences in Minna, Niger State, recently.
He had said, “I am still in the Senate, and I will seek re-election into the Senate, but if our people want me to serve as President, I will not hesitate.
“Zoning is not a constitutional matter in APC, any person can contest any post in APC.”
However, his albatross may be his seemingly unending battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over fraud charges preferred against him by the anti-graft agency. He’s being re-arraigned this morning by the EFCC for a retrial of the fraud case preferred against him.
EX-SENATE PRESIDENT BUKOLA SARAKI
Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who fell out of favour with the government after losing in the last election, is also speculated to be testing the waters regarding the 2023 presidential contest.
Though achieving such feet may be a herculean task for the political actor, pundits believe he still stands every chance to vie for the ticket under his political party, Peoples Democratic Party.
Saraki’s popularity and political relevance seem to have been waning since he lost the bid to return to the Senate in 2019, to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Yahaya Oloriegbe.
That loss signified an endpoint of the so-called Saraki dynasty – a political power base started by his late father, Olusola Saraki, a politician, who was a senator of the Nigerian Second Republic between 1979 and 1983. The Saraki dynasty produced nearly every governor in Kwara State since 1979.
FORMER EDUCATION MINISTER OBY EZEKWESILI
A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili is believed to be the strongest woman for the position of president in Nigeria.
Her constant involvement in the pertinent issues around the country, especially the kidnap of Chibok girls, has adequately demonstrated her prowess to hold powerful offices like that of the nation’s president.
Inspite of her late withdrawal from the presidential race in 2019, Nigerians have been pleading with her to have another shot at the Presidency in 2023.
A socio-political activist, Aisha Yesufu, in an exclusive interview with First News recently, assured that she would prefer to work for the former minister to become Nigeria’s first female president.
Meanwhile, Ezekwesili alongside other prominent Nigerians and activists, academics, and other professionals, have launched a new political movement ahead of the 2023 general elections.
They group reportedly had a month-long nationwide consultation and virtual meetings.
Members of the group include former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’abba; former deputy governor of the Central Bank, Obadiah Mailafia; Olisa Agbakoba; Femi Falana; Abubakar Umar; Oby Ezekwesili; Jibo Ibrahim; Yabagi Sanni; Nkoyo Toyo, Isa Aremu, Chidi Odinkalu, and Shehu Sani.
Others are Remi Sonaiya, Tanko Yinusa, Shettima Yerima, Funke Awolowo, Peter Ameh and Lanre Banjo, among others.
For them, the movement would be citizen-driven and process-led in engendering a new peoples’ constitution.
However, the political movement may be a veritable tool to achieve Ezekwesili’s presidential ambition if she eventually agrees to contest. She may also be banking on sympathy votes from the nation’s womenfolk and Nigerians sympathetic to the demand of the South-East for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023.
INDUSTRIALIST MAZI SAM OHUNABUNWA
Ohunbunwa, who is a former Chairman/CEO of Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, recently said he had been preparing himself all these while for the nation’s presidency through his involvement in NGOs and business.
Ohunbunwa, however, said his declaration for the presidential contest in 2023 was not just out of the demands by South-East for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.
According to him, “I have a vision of a new Nigeria.
“I support every zone being given the opportunity to present a candidate. It will promote unity and togetherness. I’m running because I believe I’m confident. I have the character to make a difference.”
Ohunbunwa is also said to be planning to contest the nation’s 2023 presidential election on the platform of his soon to be announced political party.
While his experience as a management expert may endear him to some Nigerians, some analysts believe that he’s a neophyte politically and may not be able to stand in the putrid water of Nigerian politics, thus limiting his chances.
As far as they are concerned, Ohunabunwa would only be a fitful breeze that can hardly be felt on the nation’s harsh political turf.
(1stnewsonline)
