This may have prompted the determination of every citizens of Nigeria to get their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) in order to guarantee participation in determining who gets elected. These new registrants change are poised to change the narrative by performing their civic duties and responsibility through casting their votes for a credible candidate of their choice that will move the country forward.
With the parties primary done and dusted, every political party has presented their candidates to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the electorates who now have the power with the use of their PVC to choose who lead the nation for the next four years beginning from 2023 till 2027.
The parties are taking various positions and adopting various strategies and have already embarked on subtle campaigns particularly on social media even when its not yet the official time. Supporters of various political parties have engaged in mosquito campaign, as the voting public and party faithful’s have already renamed their parties or given it a slogan for easy identification.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) says they are “Batified”, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says they are Atikulated and for the Labour Party (LP), they say they are “Obidients”. These are the three front contenders for the number one seat in Aso Rock come 2023.
The political atmosphere is already busy with political activities, party faithful’s trying to out do each other and take over the political space and ensure their candidates and party comes out top winning various position which its candidates and aspirants are contesting for.
The Obidient, Batified and Atikulated syndrome have enveloped the political space in Nigeria as at today, making it very interesting and a developing trend that the electorates are pitching their tents with the party that meets their political yearnings.
Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, ended its presidential primary in Abuja with aspirants contesting for the party’s presidential ticket. In what appeared to be a keenly contested race between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, the primary obviously threw up winners and losers.
Atiku emerged as the biggest winner with the biggest prize and will be facing the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election. Abubakar became the presidential standard-bearer of the PDP by scoring 371 votes, while his closest rival, Wike, polled 237 votes.
The Governor of Sokoto State and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal had stepped down on the night of the election and directed his supporters to vote for Atiku. This decision is believed to have been the gamechanger that led to Atiku’s victory on the night.
The ruling party, APC presidential primary held after several postponements, possibly to wait and see who emerges as the PDP flag-bearer. The shift in dates might have been their game plan to enable them know how to select a candidate to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
The emergence of a former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, as the presidential candidate of APC for the 2023 general election was no doubt a well-fought victory.
The former governor defeated 13 other aspirants to clinch the ticket at the primary in Eagles Square, Abuja. Tinubu polled 1,271 votes to emerge winner while his closest rival, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, got 316 votes. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came third with 253 votes.
A presidential aspirant in Labour Party, Professor Pat Utomi, stepped down for his rival, Peter Gregory Obi, in the race for the party’s nomination as it’s candidate ahead of the 2023 general elections. Utomi may have read the political situation accurately knowing Obi is a better candidate and will pull more weight as a former Chief Executive of Anambra and vice presidential candidate in the last election cycle.
Utomi’s political calculation appear to be working for his party as the Obidient movement has become a force to be associated with as the youths sees LP as the only alternative to save and rescue Nigeria as we move towards the general election.
Obi joined Labour Party a few days after resigning from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), where he was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election.
The former Anambra State governor was unanimously voted for by all delegates in the party’s primary held in Asaba Delta State to become Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election.
The youths have shown clearly that they are ready to make their impact in the 2023 general election as they trouped out to various INEC offices across the country to register and get their PVC to enable them participate actively in the process. Despite the closure of the registration process by INEC many still advocate for extension of the process to enable those that have not been captured to get registered in order to vote in 2023.
Entertainers across the country have continued to show commitment for a better Nigeria by organizing free shows for the youths using the medium to invite INEC to register citizens for their PVC which will enable them discharge their civic responsibility. They also used the avenue to educate the people on the importance of voting in the 2023 election making them to know that their votes are important to save the nation.
Politicians have already seen the handwriting on the wall that it will not be business as usual, so they are re-strategizing on following the trend, as they try to woo the youths to their political party. Nigerian youths have shown their commitment to rescue the nation from the hands of their oppressors as they are opting for alternatives rather than voting for the usual.
Edo State Governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki is in the bad books of some acclaimed political godfathers for speaking truth to power. Obaseki is a governor that says it the way it is and the way it should be without fear or favour.
During one of his engagement with members of his political party at the party Secretariat in Edo State, Gov. Obaseki drew the attention of his PDP party members to the growing trend from the youths seeking for an alternative to the popular parties they know, searching for a party that will truly represent the people.
As a youth friendly governor, he feels the pulse of the youths and understand their language as we match towards the 2023 general election and he is ready to put on his thinking cap as a strategist to Marshall out new and acceptable ways to woo the youths to his party.
The choice of a Muslim, Muslim ticket for the ruling APC is heating up the political space and making the party unpopular amongst the electorate. The move has sparked reactions from the Christian community in the Northern part of the country leading to various press briefings to condemn the act. The Christian community in the South, East and West followed suit as Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also registered their displeasure in the whole process of choosing the Vice-Presidential candidates for the APC.
In the Nigerian political system, tribe, religion, geopolitical zones have a lot to do with governance in the country as these instrument are mostly used to dictate the structure of governance since 1999.
The youths are deviating from the normal and usual as they want to change the narrative and vote for individuals not political party or religion. They want to vote for capability and competency. Religion, tribal and ethnicity and political sentiment must not be the driving force as we approach a new Nigeria in 2023.
Nigerians are politically awakened and wiser now, hence, it will not be business as usual as the nation move toward the 2023 general election. The various political party must be on top of their game to woo electorate especially the voting population of the youths who are ever ready and determined to change the narrative and rescue the nation from the grip of the oppressors who feel and think Nigeria is their personal possession and property.
The 2023 election is the right time to take the nation from corrupt leaders who feeds fat on the treasury and common wealth of the people. A lot needs to be done to save the nation from total collapse and the youths are up to the task of saving the nation. They are standing tall and answering the roll call of gallant patriots ready to sacrifice all to rescue Nigeria.
Political parties now know that the youths are ready this time to make the difference in the 2023 election and they are thus battling for the soul of the youthful electorate. Who will finally get the votes of the Nigerian youths come 2023, only time will tell.
