2023 presidential poll won and lost on political experience

The Nigeria political atmosphere was charged in February, 2023 leading to presidential election that witnessed the power play deployed by four political gladiators for the first time in recent Nigeria democratic history. These gladiators featured in the platform of APC with ex-governor, Bola Tinubu, LP with ex-governor Peter Obi, PDP with ex-governor but not sworn […]

The Nigeria political atmosphere was charged in February, 2023 leading to presidential election that witnessed the power play deployed by four political gladiators for the first time in recent Nigeria democratic history. These gladiators featured in the platform of APC with ex-governor, Bola Tinubu, LP with ex-governor Peter Obi, PDP with ex-governor but not sworn in and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, NNPP with ex-governor, senator and representative, Rabiu Kwankwaso. Though, this is without prejudice to the rights of other sundry political political parties that participated in that very election.

These gladiators can be x-rayed and judged by their political experiences that earned them scores of votes in different states, zones and regions in Nigeria.

President–elect Bola Tinubu, the battle to becoming the president began with the issue of Northern candidate in person of Ahmed Lawal, Senate president endorsed by imaginary cabal in the presidency and announced by Abdullah Adamu, national Chairman of APC. Tinubu went into the primary and trounced those aspirants that dared him. He secured the party ticket with the power of negotiation that saw some of the aspirants stepping down for him on the stage.

The second strategy was the same faith ticket as a choice to pull votes from the states and tribes where voters would be considering different factors before casting their votes. Though, this same faith strategy could not achieve much as expected, as against general outcry and criticism around it.

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Atiku Abubakar outsmarted the PDP governors with his long-standing political experience by masterminding the formation of two committees. First on party offices to be zoned to regions and the second to leave presidential ticket open to every member irrespective of region. The committee on zoning of party offices was headed by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, while the committee on presidential ticket was head by Gov. Bala Muhammad.

In conclusion, Atiku Abubakar got close to 80% of his entire votes from the Northern Muslims and with 20% of Christian south and few northern voters.

Peter Obi, the LP candidate got adopted by existing laid-back docile LP and he injected life and activeness into the LP structure and it became a threat to the likes of APC and PDP. The Peter Obi LP threw in third force dynamics into the political system for the first time in recent political struggle.

Peter Obi LP deployed youth movement structure, different from traditional political party’s structures to drive home his campaign. This movement became like a wild fire, especially with its dominance in social media space.

Peter Obi LP de-emphasise the use of money and structure to landing the coveted presidential power. With his organic supports, he was able to instil fear on APC and PDP.

The Peter Obi’s master stroke strategy was the use of Christians and CAN body to evoke emotion. Peter Obi would be judged to have secured estimated 90% of Christian votes across Nigeria and with 10% of Muslim votes earned from organic Muslims voters.

Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP started his desire to become president in 2023 election by dumping APC over perceived disagreement with the Governor Ganduje of Kano State, on matters surrounding the control of party structure in Kano State.

The second topmost strategy by Kwankwaso to drive his presidential ambition was to adopt the “Talakawa” concept of Aminu Kano, a foremost Nigeria politician in the first republic. Kwankwaso secured most of the votes from his North-west zone and made impressive showing in the entire northern region and performed poorly in the entire Southern regional polar dichotomy. Kwankwaso is estimated to have scored 90% of his accrued votes from the North and 10% votes from the Southern Nigeria.

Abdullahi Ocheja wrote from Karu in Abuja.