The Strange Thing About The 2023 General Elections In Nigeria

By Nwankwo Izuchukwu Divine

The 2023 General Elections – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be conducting its 6th National election after Nigeria returned to full democracy and Civilian Administration in 1999.

The subsequent elections conducted so far by the commission had produced Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’adua, Dr.Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and now Rtd General Muhammadu Buhari as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

On each of the general elections, there was always high expectations from the political divides on who would win. Off course, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had been the ruling party from 1999 until 2015 when the All Progressive Congress (APC) won the general elections.

This saw the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo as President and Vice respectively.

However, 2023 elections seems to be different from what Nigerians are used to. It is unique in the sense that the number of voters has increased due to the increased political awareness among Nigerians, especially the youths. Before now, there used to be voter apathy among Nigerians.

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People seemed to be less interested in the electioneering processes and had given up to the system due to the belief that elections in Nigeria were not usually transparent.

They belief had been that their votes would not count, hence they saw no need stressing themselves to register to vote. Those who do register, most times do so for other reasons other than essentially to vote. In fact, many have at the back of their minds, banking transactions, where such identification has usually been needed.

Now, there is a change of heart. The evidence is clear that the Nigerian people, most especially the youths are much concerned about the 2023 general elections. Many people want to be involved in the process.

President Buhari had signed into law, the 2022 electoral Act. This Act empowers the INEC to transmit election result electronically with the help of Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS).The INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, on several occasions has assured Nigerians that their votes would count and Nigeria seems to have believed him.

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Eighteen candidates are standing for the Presidential elections under 18 political parties. There are leading candidates among which are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party, Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigerians Peoples Party. There are also Mr.Omoyele Sowore of Action Alliance Congress, Chief. Peter Umeadi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, and Malik Ado-Ibrahim of the Young Progressive Party, among others.

The contest is hard to predict. While the APC is the ruling Party and is believed to have the structures nationwide as well the financial strength, an average Nigerian believes they have not performed as expected in their seven years of leadership.

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The PDP which is the major opposition party is still experiencing internal disagreements and is believed to have failed while it remained the ruling party. The Labour Party is believed to be a small party, and lacks the structure of winning National Elections. However, the party is gaining National acceptance on daily basis. Same thing applies to the NNPP.

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As Nigerians look forward to the outcome of the general elections with the hope that INEC conducts free and fair elections, it is certain that one of the four major candidates will emerge as the next President of Nigeria. Which one, is what is currently not clear; only time will tell.