Who will be Nigeria's Next President?






The choice of Nigeria’s next president is a huge decision that faces all Nigerians 18 years and above in the face. 2019, unlike previous election years, is drama-filled. The consciousness of the average Nigerian – whether of voting age or not is fever-pitch high, due to the consistent heating and over-heating of the polity, the various actions of the political gladiators, the current economic reality vis-à-vis the expectations of Nigerians at the inception of the current administration, amidst other factors that may not be unrelated to sentiments – religion and region. 2019 will indeed be an interesting year for voting Nigerians. And Aah! The carpeting and cross-carpeting from the sweeping broom to under the umbrella, and so on.

Suffice to say that most Nigerians know those whom they won’t vote for. They may not know yet and may not be convinced about whom they will vote for, but they know what they are tired of and don’t want a repeat of. That makes the choice in 2019 a kind of dicey one. And there is...at the last count, some…well…let’s just count:

-        1. Atiku Abubakar                  -           People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         2. Muhammadu Buhari         -           All Progressives Congress (APC)
-        3.  Fela Durotoye                     -           Alliance for a New Nigeria (ANN)
-         4. Kingsley Moghalu               -           Young Progressive Party (YPP)
-         5. Tanimu Turaki                     -           People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         6. Femi Babalola
-         7. Peter Ayodele Fayose       -             People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         8. Sule Lamido                         -           People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         9. Donald Duke                       -            People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         10. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies
-         11. Remi Sonaiya                       -           KOWA Party
-         12. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese   -            National Conscience Party (NCP)
-         13. Omoyele Sowore
-         14. Eyinnaya Nnaemeka Nwosu
-         15. Ahmed Buhari                     -           People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         16. Adesina Fagbenro-Byron   -          Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party
-         17. Charles Udeogaranya       -            All Progressives Congress (APC)
-         18. Mathias Tsado                     -           Action Democratic Party (ADP)
-         19. Eniola Olajuni                      -           Alliance for Democracy (AD)
-         20. Olu James Omosule
-         21. Tope Fasua                           -          Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP)
-         22. Eunice Atuejide                   -           National Interest Party (NIP)
-         23. Ahmed Makarfi                  -           People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         24. Ibrahim Shekarau              -            People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         25. Elishama Ideh                      -           Alliance for a New Nigeria (ANN)
-         26. Ibrahim Dankwambo        -           People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-         27. Ogbonna SKC                      -           All Progressives Congress (APC)
-         28. Okey Samuel Mbonu
-         29. Olapade Agoro                   -           National Action Council (NAC)
-         30. Hamza Al-Mustapha         -           Green Party of Nigeria (GPN)
-         31. Asukwo Mendie Archibong       
-         32. Chike Ukaegbu                    -           Advanced Alliance Party (AAP)
-         33. Chris Emejuru                     -           Has withdrawn candidacy
-         34. Adamu Garba                      -           All Progressives Congress (APC)
-         35. Omike Chikeluba Lewis    -           Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria
-         36. Omololu Omotosho          -           Liberty Youth Movement
-         37. Iyorwuese Hagher             -           Social Democratic Party (SDP)

all vying for electorates’ votes like sellers scrambling to get their hands into prospective buyers’ purse. ‘guess everyone’s tired of simply talking about Nigeria’s problem and just want to throw their hats in the ring and slug it out after all the law forbids nobody who meets the requirement; and this is one time when everyone, almost everyone, thinks they can unseat Buhari. The choice of who leads them from 2019 is entirely Nigerians’.  

The list above is of those who have already declared and the list is growing by the day. There is a huge possibility that I have omitted names of some who may have declared already. There are those who might, in the coming days, declare, or if their party’s behind-the-curtain activities prevail on, might eventually not declare. People like: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwal, and, Bukola Saraki belong to this category.


There is a coalition – the CUPP, which is already going on, and most of the parties whose candidates are listed above belong to that coalition. Whoever emerges from that coalition will most likely be the biggest opposition to the incumbent president – Muhammadu Buhari. If there will be a third force, a break-away from the coalition, time will tell. One question most Nigerians are clearly concerned with at the moment is, who will be their next president.

 Watch this space for the Profile, and analysis of the chances of each candidate at the polls in 2019.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE STORY OF OTUNBA GADDAFI

Image
ISAAC DUROJAIYE (OTUNBA GADDAFI) Otunba Gaddafi at work This is the heroic story of Otunba Gaddafi as told in my book: GROWING YOUR BUSINESS (BIG your small business). Enjoy. The name Isaac Durojaiye sure doesn’t ring a bell in the ear of so many people, but not so his statements. Clichés such as “shit money no dey smell,” “shit business is good business,” “you call it shit, we call it money” are more popular than the personality behind them. Otunba Gaddafi, as he was popularly called, worked in the securities department of the American Express when he was in the states. And that exposed him to many things in the course of his duty and sojourn in that land. He came back to Nigeria, and became the bodyguard to late Chief M.K.O. Abiola. At the time Chief’s son was to get married, Otunba was asked to take care of the security for the event. He was discharging his duty when he noticed that, there were only about two toilets at the planned programme venue. For the t
Read more

Gangaram Mahes, ever heard of him?

Well, I also didn't until very recently. He became popular for something very unusual. A cool guy who doesn't want to harm others, Mahes had only one problem: his appetite. He loved to eat good food. Who doesn't? Only challenge is, Mahes could never pay for his food. He would go to a classy restaurant, order the best and possibly most expensive meal on menu, finest liquor, desserts and all. He would finish eating, and when the waiter comes around with the bill, Mahes would say he is unable and unwilling to pay. They'll call the police, he'll be sent to prison on a short sentence, fed 3 square meals and given a nice bed to sleep on. As soon as he gets out of prison, he locates the next restaurant and repeats the very same thing. A serial eater, Mahes was arrested more than 3 dozen times on the same offence, nothing different. This year, please eat what and where you can pay. You don't want to find out the chances of 3 square meals and a nice bed in a Nigerian
Read more

TRUE LIFE STORY OF A MIGRANT

Image
TRUE LIFE STORY OF A MIGRANT My name? You can call me Ese. I am eighteen years old, from Edo state. Two months ago, a friend of my aunt came to our house and said she could help me get a job abroad, she said she knows someone there who has been helping other people. We only had to provide about Six Hundred thousand naira for my transport to the Libya. My aunt, my mum and my elder brother all gathered the money and gave me some extra for the trip. Two weeks later, we were ready for the trip.  From Edo state, we were transported to Kano, and then Katsina, and, I don’t know the names of all the places, but they said they had to follow that particular road because of Immigration and other officers that collect money from them on the road. We went through several bush paths and un-tarred road in a long lorry until we were completely in the desert. More than ninety percent of us girls were from Edo state and I think all the boys were Ibo because they were speaking more of Ibo lan
Read more