Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso: The Battle Line Has Been Drawn

The presidential election drama will be a lovely scene to watch, with gale of defections from the political harlots and several calculations based on region, ethnicity and religion, one should be expecting some spice added to the aroma in the current political cooking all across the landscape of Nigeria.

 One of the things that will make it more exciting is that the incumbent, Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari Rtd. will not be returning to office after his 8 years in office as stated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thus, making it a level playing ground for all major contenders for the number one seat in the land except, for Bola Ahmed Tinubu who currently has the advantage of being in the ruling party and that his party controls 22 out of the 36 states of the federation.

Judging by the history of elections in Nigeria, it's a known fact that the sitting governor will most likely determine the winner of that state, having such a bulk of governors on your side is a clear cut advantage for Tinubu (BAT).

Also, the Northern votes bloc that are usually for Muhammadu Buhari is now up for a grab. Who will the Northerners support? 

 The past eight years has not been an easy one for an average Nigerian, many would consider the period of Muhammadu Buhari as the worst season in the history of this nation, some even consider it better than the days of that late dictator, General Sani Abacha.

The current level of hardship Nigerians are facing have now made them pick more interest in the one that sits in the highest office of the land. No one wants to witness  another four or eight years in the similitude of the current APC led Federal Government except few who love the way Buhari is running the affairs of this country.

With the major contenders already known, one would have thought that it is the long time rivalry between the two major political parties in Nigeria: the APC and PDP.

But No, those days are long gone, with the likes of Peter Obi of Labour Party and Kwankwanso of NNPP joining the race, the influence of those two cannot be totally neglected.

Surprisingly both are decampees from the Peoples Democratic Party which might be an headache for Atiku Abubakar going into the 2023 elections.

I am tempted to put these two men(Obi and Kwankwaso) in the category of political harlots association of Nigeria judging by their antecedents in the arena of Nigeria's politics. 

This is a position some young Nigerians  may not like, but it is what is. They've both switched political parties like tampering with the electricity switch in the corner of my room. 

With the just concluded Ekiti governorship elections, it has left with so many things to ponder on. It's a pointer that Nigerians may not be really tired of the APC and they will most likely be willing to sell their votes to the highest bidder come, 2023.

With some already BATified, Atikulated, OBI-dient, and some for Kwankwaso, the battle line has been drawn.

Who will have the highest number of votes?

Who will be able to get 25% of votes in two-thirds of the states to win the election.

Until these two requirements are satisfied, none of the candidates will be declared winner in 2023.

Some Nigerians are still battling with the headache of who to pick, so I've carefully done a brief summary of the four major contenders. 

The Jagaban of Borgu.

Referred to as the national leader of the APC, a two-time governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, he was also a senator in the third Republic and was actively involved in the June 12 struggle, he actively fought for the democracy currently being enjoyed in Nigeria.

Asiwaju can not be regarded as a political harlot as he has been consistent with just a party, although his party has metamorphosized from AD to AC, ACN and then the current meger that led to the APC. This is a man who knows his onions well, he knows how to play politics like the palm of his hands, no wonder he won the APC presidential primaries with a landslide, even the votes of all other candidate could not sum up to his own.

He's a man that believes in sacrifices and has made several sacrifices to ensure APC is standing today.

He is also regarded as the architect of the modern-day Lagos, a position I stand to disagree with.

Before Asiwaju's emergence as governor Lagos, Lagos has always been the front liner in major developments in the nation right from the 1800s, he only added to the existing beauty, will that be an acheivement? I don't think so!

Another exciting thing to note about Asiwaju is that he has been controlling Lagos for the past 23 years both as a governor and as an ex governor, no person has that record in Nigeria.

He worked towards the burial of PDP in the southwest , fortunately for him and unfortunately for PDP, the party is currently struggling in that region.

Recently, Reno Omokri has accused Tinubu of being a drug lord, and till now Tinubu has not publicily refuted that statement. Nigerians can't afford to have a drug baron sitting on the seat of power in Aso rock.

Age is not on his side, he looks frail and not too agile, he needs to take care of himself.

Another thing questionable about Tinubu is his source of wealth which has remained hidden from public space, how did Tinubu get his money? Some would even go as far as saying he is far richer than Dangote and that he has pocketed the wealth that belongs to all Lagosians.

A major blow to the ticket of Mr Tinubu is picking a Muslim as his running mate in person of Kassim Shettima the former governor of Borno state, who also has an history that's not too palatable with Christians. This ticket might eventually be a suicidal agenda heading towards the rock like the 1993 presidential elections where MKO Abiola was presumed to be the winner.

 Nigerians, do you want to be BATified? 

Atiku Abubakar is not in any way new to Presidential elections, he has been eyeing that seat since 1993 when he lost the party's ticket to MKO Abiola  which was eventually presumed to be the winner of the general elections.

 Age is not on his side, this may be his last shot at the seat of the presidency of this nation.

While he was the vice president from 1999 to 2007, he fell out with his boss, Baba Obasanjo, which I don't think has been resolved till date, going by  Obasanjo's recent comment where he stated clearly that one of his worst regrets in life is picking Atiku as his running mate in 1999.

This turned out to be a big blow on the Atiku camp.

 Atiku has experience in public and private sectors, he retired from Nigeria Custom service to fully join politics.

 He has contested five times for the presidency in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 and now this is sixth attempt in 2023. Does he stand a chance this time?

 Atiku as a business man has investments in media, shipping, education and others. He was chairman of 7 companies before his election as vice president in 1999.

He also founded American University of Nigeria in 2004, obviously that school is not meant for the poor.

Atiku seems to have employed over 50,000 people in his various companies, he is the owner of Intels, Prodeco, ABTI schools, Atiku Abubakar farms and others.

He also led the economic team that ensured Nigeria was debt free in the era of Obasanjo.

Atiku has also been described by his former boss (Obasanjo) as a corrupt man and as someone who sought to overthrow him while he was president.

His candidacy will also suffer a major blow if the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike eventually leaves the PDP, Wike seems to be the current political bride in the nation.

Atiku is also leading when it comes to political harlotry amongst politicians in Nigeria, he has switched party several times just to become the President of our dear country, unfortunately for the Waziri of Adamawa, he failed in all those attempts.

One question that Atiku Abubakar needs to answer is this, why is he desperate to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

I would like that he responds to this as soon as possible.

Nigerians, do you truly want to be Atikulated?

One who  is currently being marketed by the youths as the perfect person for the presidency of this nation.

He is a successful businessman a two-term governor of Anambra state, he was impeached and was later reinstated by a court of law.

 He has also held some positions at the  national level such as: Special adviser to President Jonathan, member of the  presidential economic management team, Vice Chairman Nigerian Governors Forum, Chairman Southeast governors, former chairman of Fidelity bank, Board of Securities and Exchange Commission and many more achievements and award to his name.

No doubts, Peter Obi is a man with many achievements and a genius in his world, a man of integrity who stands by his words.

He was even called stingy by a popular man of God in the east, he does not change his words, he looks incorruptible, he is a man known for setting records and breaking records.

He was the first gubernatorial candidate to challenge his electoral victory that was denied him in election, and won in the court of law, he also challenged his impeachment in court and won 

Going by his records in politics, governance and business, he is a phenomena.

Even Reno Omokri who has recently fallen out with him said he's the best governor Nigeria has ever produced.

He made Anambra state, the most financially stable state in his days.

 But here's the dilemma for Peter, does Labour party have the structure to win the presidential elections? Many have downplayed structure, but 2023 will tell. He enjoys a lot of support from social media, most especially Twitter. If the election today is held on Social Media, he'll definitely win with a landslide.

Does he have the dollars and muscles to compete with the likes of political heavyweights like Atiku and Tinubu?

He could not even confront the likes of Atiku and Wike in PDP, now he wants to wrestle with the big men in general elections, it looks like an herculean task, but it's not in any way impossible. 2023 is almost here, watch it!

The things that has marred Peter Obi's campaign is his inability to control his supporters, to stop their attacks on social media against opposing views, he has appealed to them to stop, but have they stopped?

When he eventually becomes President, will he be able to call his supporters to order?

Also when he calls some statistics and figures, majority of them are usually inaccurate when a fact check is done.

 Can we trust a man who is inaccurate with his figures and statistics with the presidential seat of this nation? 

A two-time governor of Kano state, the originator of the Kwankwasiyya  movement with massive followership in Kano and other northwestern states.

He was a governor from 1999 to 2003 and from 2011 2015 with so many struggles

 and opposition while he was governor. He served as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also as as a senator.

He also performed relatively well as a sitting governor.

But the question: Does he have the spread to win a general election in Nigeria?

And with his recent statements as regards the Southeast and the Igbos, that they're at the bottom in the politics of this nation, has he not tampered with his chances of winning the elections? Has he not shot himself in the leg?