By Mutiu Adebola Adenola
Mirroring all the activities of the coming 2023 general elections in Nigeria, the tensions the election is generating is worrisome.
The causes of these worrisome tensions are due to individuals, regions, ethnic, religious beliefs and political parties’ attitudes towards the elections. Some individuals, ethnic, religious, and political parties are heating the polity with their feelings of entitlement to be in power.
From Igbo Presidency, South West Agenda, North Central Agenda, North East Agenda to “Emi Lokan” and later “Awa Lokan”. In all these, my major concern is the individuality of the major presidential candidates in the election. Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the former Vice President of the country who in recent times is regarded as the most experienced living politician has been in the race to become the president of the most powerful and popular black nation in the world since way back in 1993 under the transitional programme of the military rule of President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. Since that year, the Waziri Adamawa has always been in the ring during every election year to get power.
Another individua.l in this race, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the Former Governor of Kano State, a one-time Minister of Defence. The founder of the Kwankwansiyya movement, a red cap political movement. He also likes the Waziri of Adamawa contested primaries under All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2014 against the present President, President Muhammadu Buhari. Both Atiku and Kwankwaso also contested in Presidential primaries in 2018 against each other after both returned to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), their original party. Alhaji Atiku won the ticket to contest in 2019 against the incumbent but lost eventually.
The major blockbuster on individuals feeling entitled to the presidency is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His outburst against President Buhari and his men who were perceived as a stumbling block to his ambition during his visit to Ogun State party faithful to canvass for delegate votes. In his statement, he narrated how President Buhari has been contesting and losing elections, and how he finally assisted the President to win the election. The event gave birth to the “Emi Lokan” (it’s my turn) and “Olule”(He failed) slogans. This singular act generated lots of controversies within the ruling party. But it was believed in another quarter and seen as the only way that made Asiwaju Tinubu get the ticket because of the fear of him bringing down the ruling party to its monumental end.
In regions feeling entitled to the presidency, the Igbo Presidency Agenda was first to rent the air. The Igbo leaders have been clamoring for the table to turn towards the South East while some of their youths wanted a referendum to declare the region Republic of Biafra. Southeast politicians in the two major political parties slugged it out to realize this agenda but a lack of unity of purpose made them lose out in grabbing the tickets of the major political parties.
The agitation for Igbo Presidency and social media frenzy made the former governor of Anambra State, former vice-presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi resign his membership of the PDP and joined Labour Party, where he eventually became their presidential flagbearer. The “Obidients” as his supporters are named, is a movement, comprising majorly of youths. These set of youths are also feeling entitled to take the country from the old horses.
There are also conspiracies against the emergence of another Fulani man to be the President of the country due to some political reasons and obvious criminality activities of uninformed Fulani herdsmen. Many believed, that the aggravated activities of these criminal Fulani Herdsmen are because we have a Fulani man as our President who has not done enough to curb their menace. This is another hurdle for Alhaji Atiku to cross. The Fulani political game informed the choice of Senator Shettima, a Kanuri man as the vice-presidential candidate of the APC
Religion as usual is playing out in the current political settings. Muslims are feeling entitled and the Christians are also having the same feelings.
There is no doubt, that the loss of vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the APC primaries and PDP throwing its primaries open to both northern and southern aspirants that produced Alhaji Atiku and Asiwaju Tinubu who are Muslims made the Christian community felt so cheated for the fact that President Muhammed Buhari is a Muslim, it was expected that a Christian should take over. The worst of it is Muslim/Muslim ticket by the APC, this is generating a lot of controversies with toxic reactions from many Christian groups.
As the current political game is unfolding, there would be losers and gainers. In my own opinion, the Igbo Presidency Agenda may suffer a big blow, the “Sorosoke” “Coconut head” generation, the youths, who have been clamouring for change from the status quo, may be disappointed, the Fulani and the Christian community would also have to lick their wounds while the “Emilokan” might be the gainer unless there is a realignment among the opposing parties and candidates.
Adenola writes with [email protected]
