By Noble Okhidemeh
There is no doubt that there are four major candidates contesting for the office of the president in the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. These are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Alhaji Kwankwaso of the NNPP and Atiku Abubarkar of the PDP.
In analyzing the candidates comparatively, the four haven be former political office holders, we analyzed them based on their past performances.
I’m going to base my analysis on the position held previously by the candidates starting from the former Vice President, Atiku Abubarkar. Atiku Abubakar is one Nigerian I have so much respect for.
My respect for Atiku Abubarkar starts from his courage and tenacity, his ability to fight Obasanjo’s 3rd term bid alongside the likes of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. My refusal to support Atiku Abubarkar is purely based in equity and fairness. Atiku Abubarkar is from the North just like Buhari who is rounding up is 8 years in office and it is on record that Atiku Abubarkar contested the APC primaries with Buhari but lost it to Buhari. For him now to claim that Buhari’s tenure affects only the APC is misconceived because Buhari was elected Nigeria’s president and not APC president.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu appeals more to my interest and aspiration. He represents my choice for the office of the president. A two-term governor of the cosmopolitan state of Lagos. He is the only former governor of 1999 set that is still very relevant and respected today. He is a leader par excellence, a true democrat, a mentor who has mentored so many persons who themselves occupied very senior positions in government today.
Is one Nigerian that no one can underestimate, highly knowledgeable, politically versatile, sagacious and acclaimed performer. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is highly courageous, bold, respectful, skillful. He is on the spot performer. When he was the governor of Lagos, the then president, General Olusegun Obasanjo seized the statutory allocation of the state for the 8 years but Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was able to sustain the free education policy in Lagos. He was able to recapture Ogun, Ekiti, Osun, Edo, Oyo and Ondo States for his party from the PDP federal government might.
Peter Obi was also a two-term governor of Anambra State, on the platform of APGA. He was able to hold on to power and handed over to another APGA governor. The failure or Obi’s weakness include his inability to sustain on leadership. Soon after his tenure, he was pushed out of the party and he went to PDP where he was offered the Vice Presidential slot but in 2022 he left the PDP on the pretence that he was schemed out.
He is not forceful, he lacks leadership control and directive. Kwakwaso is another fellow with the same fault of Atiku being from the North.
In conclusion, I submit most profoundly that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the candidate to beat in the 2023 presidential election.
No Comments