By Suleiman Umaru
Ahead of the February 25, 2023, Presidential and National Assembly, elections, Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra state, and Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Aswaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, and the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, appear not to be taking chances with the electioneering Campaigns as they traverse the nooks and crannies of the country.
Others are Atiku Abubakar, a one-time Nigerian Vice President, and Candidate of the Opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, SDP,and Kola Abiola, son of Mohshood Kashimawo Abiola, the Presumed winner of the 1993, general elections canced by the military Junta, headed by the ten Military President, Genral Ibrahim Babangida retired, and Candidate of the People’s Redemption Party, PRP, among are also making waves in their Campaigns as they reach out to the electorates.
Between November and now, the five Major Candidates for the 2023, general elections, were said to have taken their electioneering Campaigns from one state of the Federation to the other to sell their party manifestos and making promises with the intention to win the support of the people. The question on the lips of many was : who will ball out Nigeria.
Take for instance, Obi, the former Anambra , governor, who many believe do not have the resources to sponsor his Presidential elections has visited more states to Campaign than his two closest rivals, Tinubu and Atiku, believed to be money bags.
Only recently, the LP, Flag bearer was in Akure, Capital of Ondo,home state of Ol Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation during Babangida Administration, to Campaign, amidst tight security. LP Presidential hopeful was said to have promised the people ‘’to adequately address the nation’s biting economic and security challenges’’, described as the major problems of the country over the last 13 years
The Anambra state governor described as Mr. Stingy”’ by Tinubu, was said to have told the large crowd that had turned out to listen to him that he has ‘’the capacity to stand the rigours of the office of the Nigerian President which is very demanding and turn the situation in the country around’’ within the next four years. Confirming why former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who had endorsed his Candidature. For the 2023, general elections.”
Olusola Ebiseeni, Director of the Obi/Datti Campaign Organisation in the south west, who had prepared the ground for the party Presidential Campaign in the state had made it clear to the people of the state that the Nigerian Leadership must not be rotating between the north and the south west, insisting that ‘it is the turn of the south east ‘’ to produce the next Nigerian President’’.
The LP, south west Campaign Director, who had joined the G5, now Integrity Group,’’ demanding for fairness and justice in the country political system had said that everybody is equal s equal in the country and that no one is a second class citizen.
ABC Nwosu, a Professor, and a former minister of Health, during Olusegun Obasanjo’s Administration and a member of the PDP, Board of Trustee, BoT,s may have read the handwriting on the wall of the Conspiracy against the Igbos that he has resigned party and the BoT .
He had earlier Campained in Enugu, Capital of Enugu state, where he had told the people that his Administration will’ unite and secure the igeria if elected President on February 25, 2023’’. He was emphatic on this. ‘’I assure you that if elected the next Nigerian President, my Administration will unite and secure Nigeria’’. Hold me by my words’’, he had said.
As a prelude to securing the country, he had said that one his government priorities would be’’ to recruit more Nigerian youths into the all the various security agencies, pay them well and provide the security agencies personnel with life insurance cover’’.
He may have gladdened the heart of the people when he said that his emergence as the next President will lead to an ‘’end to the disruption He of academic activities in tertiary institutions in Nigeria’’. Hear him: I will end Academic Staff of Nigeria Universities, ASUU, strike and ensures that no student in any Nigerian University stays beyond the approved period of study’’, he had said.
He was said to also promised to pursue economic policy that will encourage production instead of being a consumer nation for foreign made goods, noting that it is the only way the youths can be gainfully employed.
Chukwuemeka Ezeife, a one-time governor of Anambra state, who could not hide his feelings had urged the people of Enugu state and the south east in general ‘’to vote Obi for equity, justice and fairness’’.
Atiku, the PDP, Presidential Candidate, for the 2023, general elections , who had stormed Lokoja, described as the Confluence town, Capital of Kogi, state , for his Campaigns on Saturday, January 14, 2023, was said to have promised the people ‘’ to activate Ajaokuta Steel plant and support the state government to clear all salary arrears owed civil sevants’’. He was said to have promised the restoration of other key infrastructural facilities in the state to ensure better welfare for the people.
He was said to have been accompanied in the Kogi state Campaign by Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta state and Vice Presidential Candidate, Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom state, and Chairman of the , Atiku/ Okowa Campaign Organisation , and Aminu Tambuwa, a former Speaker , House of Representatives and now governor of Sokoto state , and who incidentally, is the Director General of the PCC. Others were including Senator Iyorcia Ayu, the party National Chairman and Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba state. To name but a few.
Atiku, PDP, Presidential Candidate may have left Kogi state,optimistic that he people will support him for promising to activate the multi-billion dollars Ajaokuta steel plant. Many who spoke to The Value News on condition of anonymity on phone had said that the PDP, Candidate , appears to be like someone who do not have any programme in the cards for the state.
They have their reason for the assumption. This is because President Muhammadu Buhari , had secured the Ajaokuta steel plant from interminable and complex disputes with the foreign investor group in steel space – Global Steel Holdings and Global Infrastructure Steel.
They noted that the Buhari’s Administration, had settled the multi- billion dollar claim of $5.28 billion in mediation under the International Chamber of Commerce, ICC, ADR, Framework, for $496 million and wondered what Atiku, will do on the plant if elected the next Nigerian President.
The settlement agreement was said to have into effect on August 19, 2022, as confirmed by Abubakar Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.
In Niger, home state of Generals Ibrahim Babangida, a former Nigerian military President and Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former military, Head of state, Tinubu, the APC, Presidential Candidate, had ‘’pledged ‘’to embark on routine dredging of the popular River Niger and full development of the Baro port if elected President on the February 25, Presidential elections’’.
The former Lagos state governor was said to have promised ‘’to repay his supporters by attending to the major challenges of the state and further empower the people to reap the full benefits of its bounteous resources and being the home of three hydroelectric power plants in the country’’.
The APC, Flag bearer, who could not his feelings had said that his Administration will ‘’appreciate the vital role played by the state that power the nation by investing in its future’’. He had declared that that ‘’the power state will become the more powerful state ‘’ in the country’’.
He has a god news for farmers and aggro-commodity traders in the state. He was said to have promised to revamp the Agricultural sector in the state for optimal performance if elected President in the upcoming elections. Given that Agriculture is the hope and prosperity of farmers and the Nigerian economy, may have informed why he had said that his Administration will need to prioritize the sector for easy access to Agricultural facilities and other Inputs to improve the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP. He did not top there.
He was to have promised to establish a National Commodity Directorate that will ensure the success of the government Agriculture policy when elected the next President of Nigeria in order ’’ to enhance food security and export of food items , particular, rice to member countries of the Economic of West African States and the Central African sub-regions, like the Asian country of Thailand and the North American country of Vietenam export to other countries.
Adewole Adebayo, a multi-billionaire, Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, a party that is not too popular among Nigerians, may not have allowed Tinubu, Atiku and Obi, the big names in the 2023, Presidential race to intimidate him as he has continued to make appreciable impact by taking his Campaigns to the states.
In virtually all the states , he had visited, the message was very clear that ‘’the party will eliminate insecurity, poverty, and put the nation on the path of prosperity’’ if he emerges as the next Nigerian President after the 2023, general elections.
Kola Abiola, the first son of late MKO Abiola, and Presidential Candidate of the People’s Redemption Party, PRP, has pledged ‘’to ensure 25 inclusion of women and people Living with disabilities, PLWD, in his government’’if elected president after the February 25, 2023, Presidential elections.
He was said to have also promised to reinvent Nigeria’s security architecture if elected President in 2023.Optimistic that he will win the elections, he has vowed ‘’to improve the welfare standard of the men of the Nigerian Armed Forces’’.
