PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari faces a motley crowd of challengers in the February 16, next year election. The election is generating so much excitement among Nigerians, particularly in the social media. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 78 challengers have emerged to face Buhari in the race for Aso Rock Villa, the nation’s seat of power.
So, there will be a long list of political parties on the ballot. But, ironically, the choices will still be limited, because the opposition is weak and fragmented. Most of the political parties are small parties that lack the nationwide structure to prosecute presidential elections. Small parties can succeed in making a big showing in a local election when they field popular candidates who will appeal to the electorate at that level, but in a nationwide contest, like the presidential election, bigger parties have better chances of winning.
Despite being touted as the “third force” earlier, the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-backed African Democratic Party (ADP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) could not muster enough support to challenge the dominance of the two major parties during the recent Osun State governorship election. The SDP came a distant third and could only play the role of the beautiful bride, helping the APC to win during the supplementary election that took place in seven polling units. Even in developed democracies, such as the United States or the United Kingdom, which equally have multiple political parties, the choice is usually limited to two parties or sometimes three – in the case of the latter.
Nevertheless, the emergence of young and vibrant candidates like Donald Duke, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Fela Durotoye, Obadiah Mailafia, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, Omoyele Sowore, Pastor Chris Okotie and others have raised the hope of Nigerians that true change can be witnessed in the near future, if the electorate can muster the courage to reject the old school politicians and vote for a young, detribalised and solution-centred candidate, without laying emphasis on his religious inclination and where he comes from. In this regard, it is noteworthy that with the exception of Mailafia all the above candidates are making a statement by contesting against the zoning sentiment that it is the turn of the North to produce the president in 2019.
Thus, though the zoning arrangement currently favours a northerner to occupy the position, majority of the candidates contesting next year’s presidential are from the South; with the Southeast and the Southwest dominating the contest. Nevertheless, a great majority of the candidates are not in the race to clinch the plum job. Many of them merely want to add the phrase “former presidential candidate” to their long resume. Others are simply interested in using it as a bargaining chip to secure one political appointment or the other.
The full list of candidates and their parties are as follows: Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Donald Duke, Social Democratic Party (SDP); Kingsley Moghalu, Young Progressives Party (YPP); Obiageli Ezekwesili, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN); Chris Okotie, Fresh Democratic Party (FDP); Hamza Al-Mustapha, Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN); Obadiah Mailafia, African Democratic Congress (ADC); Fela Durotoye, Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN); Omoyele Sowore, Africa Action Congress (AAC); and Gbenga Hashim-Olawepo, Alliance for Peoples Trust (APT).
Others are: Moses Shipi, All Blending Party (ABP); Samuel Eke, Green Party of Nigeria (GPN); Mark Emmanuel, United Patriots (UP); Hamisu Santuraki, Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN); Moses Ajibiowu, National Unity Party (NUP); Nwokeafor Ikechukwu, Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD); Aliyu Ibrahim, African People Alliance (APA); John Ilongwo, Democratic Peoples Party (DPP); Yunusa Tanko, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP); Ike keke, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Yusufu Obaje, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP); Ize-Iyamu David, Better Nigeria Peoples Party (BNPP); Samuel Fagbenro-Byron, Kowa Party (KP); Rabia Hassan, National Action Council (NAC); Nnamdi Madu, Independent Democrats (ID); Tope Fasua, Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP); and Obinna Ikeagwuonu, African People’s Party (APP).
Also on the list are: Isaac Ositelu, Accord Party; Frank Ukonga, Democratic Alternative (DA); Shitu Kabir Advance, Peoples Democratic Party (APDP); Usman Muhammed, Labour Party (LP); Asukwuo Archibong, Nigeria for Democracy (ND); Chuks Nwachukwu, All Grassroots Alliance (AGA); Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA); Yusuf Yabaji, Action Democratic Party (ADP); Nsehe Nseobong, Restoration Party of Nigeria (RPN); Chukwudi Osuala, Rebuild Nigeria Party (RNP); John Wilson Gbor, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Usman Ibrahim, National Rescue Movement (NRM); Sunday Eguzolugo, Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP); and Chike Ukaegbu, Advanced Allied Party (AAP).
The list also includes: Umenwa Godwin, All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP); Isiaka Balogun, United Democratic Party (UDP); Lewis Abah, Change Advocacy Party (CAP); Babatunde Ademola, Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP); Ahmed Buhari, Sustainable National Party (SNP); John Dara Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD); Kriz David, Liberation Movement (LM); Isah Bashayi Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN); Emmanuel Etim, Change Nigeria (CN); Habib Mohammed, United Democratic Party (UDP); Angela Johnson, Alliance for a United Nigeria (AUN); John Onwubuya, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP); Mashood Shittu Alternative Party of Nigeria (APN); Yusuf Dantale, Allied Peoples Movement (APM); Ahmed Inuwa, United Party of Nigeria (UPN); Geff Ojinika, Coalition For Change (CFC); and Robinson Akpua, National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP).
The remaining candidates are: Victor Okhai, Providence Peoples Congress (PPC); Dr. Olapade Agoro, National Action Council (NAC); Williams Olusola Awosola, Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC; Alhaji Ahmed Sakil, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN); Isaac Babatunde-Ositelu, Accord A; Alhaji Isa Bashiru, Advanced Nigerian Democratic Party (ANDP); Mallam Hussein Abubakar, Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA); Rex Adebanjo, Youth Party of Nigeria (YPN); Prof. Peter Nwangwu, We the People of Nigeria Party (WPNP); Eunice Atuejide, National Interest Party (NIP); Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP); and Dr. Davidson Isibor Akhimien, Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN).
Source: The Nation
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