Following the directive of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the 2023 political campaign for the Nation’s top seat will commence today and 18 presidential candidates will go head to head in the process of convincing Nigerians to vote for them.
In the race – which officially kicks off today – for who will succeed President Buhari from May 29, 2023, the aspiring presidents will seek to convince the 96.3 million registered voters.
According to INEC’s timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2023, followed by the governorship and State Assembly elections which will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
The presidential candidates are Accord Party (AP), Imumolen Christopher; Action Alliance (AA), Al Mustapha Hamza; African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kachikwu Dumebi; Action Democratic Party (ADP), Sani Yabagi; All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.
Also on the ballot are All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Umeadi Chukwudi; Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Ojei Princess Chichi; Action Peoples Party (APP), Nnadi Osita; Boot Party (BP), Adenuga Oluwafemi; Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso; National Rescue Movement (NRM), Osakwe Johnson; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Abiola Kolawole; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adebayo Adewole; Young Peoples Party (YPP), Ado-Ibrahim Abdulmalik; and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dan Nwanyanwu.
Amidst the excitement to flag off rallies and fanfare, Bola Tinubu and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, have postponed the inauguration of their campaign councils. However, the PDP will today inaugurate its 2023 Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja.
2023 election, the future?
Oby Ezekwesili, a Former Minister of Education of Nigeria in a tweet made on the 12th of April said the only priority that citizens should hold dearly is the plan on how to restructure Nigeria.
“Not a wise use of time arguing over an undifferentiated political class that goes from one election cycle to another with zero value created for the wellbeing of society. The priority that should appeal to citizens is a grand plan on how to #RestructureNigeria. That’s all”
Aisha Yusufu, an activist who tagged the 2023 election as a moment of survival said that Nigerians must ensure that competent leaders are elected to end the spate of killings and insecurity across the country.
“The 2023 election is an election for survival. We are fighting for our lives. We want a nation where we can breathe. Today, life in Nigeria is nasty, short, and brutish. Everybody is a victim waiting to happen
“Every Nigerian must be invested in the eight months leading to the 2023 general elections. We must put in everything to ensure that we vote for competent candidates who will know that they only got there because of the people and are more willing to work for the people.”
INEC promises free and fair election
The Independent National Electoral Commission has maintained that it would ensure a free and fair election at the 2023 polls while also noting that the Electoral Act, 2022 will guarantee its delivery.
“The Electoral Act, 2022 is a laudable effort to bring the Nigerian electoral process up to standard with countries all over the world, and meet the aspirations of Nigerians. It is believed that the provisions of the Act will guarantee the delivery of free, fair, transparent, and credible elections
which will in turn increase the acceptance of the electoral processes and outcomes in the 2023 General Election and beyond.
“Most importantly, INEC will continue to evolve and improve on the electoral process vis-à-vis international best practices”