S/East presidential aspirants on the scale

The race for the 2023 presidential election is hitting top gear as political parties have been mandated by Section 84 of the Electoral Act to present their flag bearers for the plum job on or before June 3. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently warned that it would not tolerate political parties undermining constitutionally-allowed […]

The race for the 2023 presidential election is hitting top gear as political parties have been mandated by Section 84 of the Electoral Act to present their flag bearers for the plum job on or before June 3.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently warned that it would not tolerate political parties undermining constitutionally-allowed processes in the nomination of candidates as they prepare for primary elections.

There is a growing outcry among stakeholders in the South East that the geopolitical zone should be allowed to produce the next president in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice. This argument hinges on the fact that the zone is yet to produce a president since the return of democracy in 1999. Some stakeholders in the region have also promised to mobilise resources for any party that presents a presidential aspirant of Igbo extraction.

It comes as no surprise that for the first time in the 4th Republic, the South East has more presidential aspirants than other zones in the country. Some of the aspirants who have declared for the presidency from the South-East include a former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, a former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Dr. Sam Ohuabunwa (Abia State); former governor of Anambra State and 2019 Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, Peter Obi; former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu; former Coordinator of the PDP, U.S. chapter, Dr Caro Nwosu (Anambra State); former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; Governor Dave Umahi and Dr. Solomon Wining (Ebonyi); Chris Baywood of Baywood Foundation (Enugu) and Senator Rochas Okorocha (Imo State).

There are also those who are yet to officially declare but are said to be eyeing the position after the completion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term tenure on May 29, 2023. They include former governor of Abia State and current Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu; Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his counterpart in Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu. Although Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and CBN governor Godwin Emefiele are from Rivers and Delta states respectively, they are also touted as potential candidates to appeal to both Igbos and Niger Deltans.

However, in spite of these numbers, many analysts are of the opinion that aspirants from other zones are more aggressive in their campaigns. It is argued that none of the aspirants from the South East has put up a machinery strong enough to compete with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu and Sokoto State governor Aminu Tambuwal. 

The spokesman of apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, recently called on presidential aspirants from the South-East to be more assertive and aggressive in their campaigns. He called on them to reach out to Nigerians with their plans and work harder to brighten the chances of the region.

What are the chances of these aspirants winning the ticket of their parties, especially the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, and the eventually the general election? While APC seems to have settled for a Southern candidate in 2023, the PDP is said to have thrown the race for its ticket open.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu: The Chief Whip of the Senate, who is now a member of the APC, was elected governor twice on the platform of the PDP. He was the presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in the 2007 general election, where he got a total of 608,803 votes to place fourth behind Umaru Yar’Adua (PDP), Muhammadu Buhari (ANPP) and Atiku Abubakar (AC).

Kalu, who is an advocate of South East presidency, has started consulting and earning endorsements from some groups. He also declared himself as the most capable to lead Nigeria.

However, many believed that his campaign is affected by the ongoing N7.65 billion fraud trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which led to his conviction in 2019 before the Supreme Court voided his conviction on the ground that that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted him, had already become a justice of the Court of Appeal, when he ruled and sentenced Mr Kalu and his co-defendant as a trial judge. The EFCC is making frantic efforts for the retrial of the case.

Dr. Sam Ohuabunwa: The founder and CEO of Neimeth Pharmaceutical is a chieftain of the PDP. Ohuabunwa, who started his consultation over a year ago, has not hidden his intention to succeed Buhari in 2023. He has also said that he is not interested in stepping down for any other candidate.

His visit to former president Olusegun Obasanjo generated controversy as the former leader denied endorsing him or the South East for the presidency in 2023.

However, pundits argued that the founder of the New Nigeria Group (NNG) lacks the political clout to win a presidential election.

Peter Obi: Sixty-year-old Peter Gregory Obi was running mate to Atiku during the 2019 general election which President Buhari won. The two-term former Anambra governor is seen as a sellable candidate from the South East. His supporters said he did credibly well as governor and also distinguished himself in his career as a banker, including becoming the youngest chairman of Fidelity Bank.

He has picked his nomination form while holding meetings with stakeholders in the party.

However, Obi seems not to enjoy the support of governors of the party, especially those from the South East, who were uncomfortable with his choice as VP in 2019. Till date, no governor from the zone has shown interest in his ambition; in fact, it is rumoured that he will enjoy more support from Prof Charles Soludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, than the two PDP governors from the zone.

But he seems to be the candidate who will get the support of PDP Northern stakeholders in the unlikely event the ticket is microzoned to the south East.

Kingsley Moghalu: He was the presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party YPP in the 2019 general elections.

Moghalu, who is a member of the Advisory Council of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF), has chosen the African Democratic Congress ADC to pursue his 2023 ambition. 

If he seeks to get more than the 21,886 votes of 2019, he will need to reach out more to the grassroot as critics argue that his policies only appeal to the elite.

Dr Caro Nwosu: The former aspirant for the post of national publicity Secretary of the PDP is the only known female aspirant from the South East. She will be contesting against Omoyele Sowore for the ticket of the African Action Congress (AAC).

The aspirant, who was recently endorsed by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) women platform, vowed to make agriculture attractive to youths that it would become the most sought-after job.

However, she is not seen as a major contender in the 2023 elections as analysts said AAC lacks the structure to win a general election.

Anyim Pius Anyim: Judging by experience, the Ebonyi State politician is seen as ahead of other aspirants from the zone. He was elected into the Senate in 1999, and was subsequently voted by colleagues as President of the Senate in August 2000, after Chuba Okadigbo was impeached, holding office until May 2003. The holder of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, was appointed as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) from 2011 till 2015.

He has been holding Town Hall meetings to seek the support of PDP stakeholders and delegates ahead of the primary election scheduled for May. He seems to be one of the aspirants from the zone that is crisscrossing the country in a bid to achieve his aspiration. He has also been vocal about zoning, hinting that PDP will lose if it failed to zone the presidency to the south.

However, critics argued that the 61-year-old politician does not control the followings needed to win a presidential election.

Dave Umahi: The Ebonyi State governor, who claimed that he left the PDP because it failed to commit to zoning its 2023 presidential ticket to the South East, seems not to enjoy the support of some of his colleagues in the APC, which has made many to doubt if the party will give him its ticket.

Dr. Solomon Wining: is another aspirant from Ebonyi. He is a greenhorn in the race and many doubt if he can secure the ticket of Accord Party ahead of the general elections.

Chris Baywood: The President and CEO of Baywood Group, a Nigerian conglomerate involved in oil & gas, engineering, construction, procurement and Aviation, is a chieftain of the APC, who is ready to slug it out with other aspirants. But political permutation does not seem to favour the Enugu politician.

Rochas Okorocha: The former Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum is also making consultations about his aspirations. He has never hidden his intention to seek the ticket of the APC. The former Imo State governor was seen as one of the prominent politicians of Igbo extraction to become president but his chances seem to have been dimed by his many battles with his successor, Senator Hope Uzodinma.

Ogbonnaya Onu: The first civilian governor of Abia State and current Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation is alleged to be the preferred candidate of President Buhari. Whispers from the Villa have it that the president sees Onu as a trusted ally, who has made sacrifices, without demanding anything in return.

The 70-year-old politician is expected to benefit from the consensus arrangement of the APC and enjoy the political structure of president Buhari if he gets the ticket.

However, he has denied reports that he is the ‘anointed’ presidential flag bearer of APC.

An insider said Buhari is likely to stick to him, despite perceived opposition from some quarters.