Spotlight on four front line presidential  candidates – Atiku, Tinubu, Obi Kwankwaso

Four candidates have shown to be in the front-line of the  2023 presidential election in Nigeria. The candidates include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter  Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). They are former office holders at wither the state or federal level.

While Atiku was vice president for eight tears, the other three were governors for eight years with traceable records.

Atiku 

Atiku was reputed for economic reforms in the first four years of the PDP government led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The PDP presidential candidate made first attempt at the presidential race in 1993, when he steeped down for MKO Abiola at the presidential primary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Jos, Plateau State.

In 1999,  Atiku was elected Governor of Adawama State, but the PDP presidential candidate, Olusegun Obasanjo, picked him as his running mate for the presidential election. the governorship victory was ceded to Boni Haruna who was the deputy governorship candidate.

Atiku attempted the presidential race in 2007, lost the PDP ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, and to President Muhammadu Buhari in  2015, then the lost 2019 presidential race to Buhari.

Atiku has structures across the country that s capable of managing campaign and national elections. Again, the PDP is a strong party and a viable alternative to the APC. Atiku also has deep pocket to fund elections.

Meanwhile,  the lingering crisis in the party from the agitation for the resignation of the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, by a group led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, may cause elative set back for Atiku. The agitators who include five PDP governors from Abia, Enugu, Benue, Oyo, and Rivers states, including former governors from Ekiti, Cross River, Gombe, Ondo, and Plateau states, in addition to some statesmen in the party.  This threatens the unity of the party.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was governor of Lagos State 1999 t0 2007. He was a senator in the three months senate of the National Assembly in 1993 during the inclusive electoral process during the Babangida/Abacha transition.

Tinubu

Tinubu is a man of ideas and doggedness. He modified the public transport system started by former Governor Laateef Jakande, introducing BRT, creating LASTMA to manage traffic in the state, introduced LAWMA to manage waste, and many others. He also established a trust fund for the police, as well as employment fund.

Tinubu made relative achievements on infrastructure development.

Again, Tinubu created 37 local governments to extend development to the grassroots. Though, this caused crisis between Lagos State and the federal governments. The federal government beside refusing to enlist the new councils in the constitution, the president withheld the local government allocation from the Federation account to Lagos State. The LG allocations were released when late President Shehu Musa Yar’Adua assumed office.

Tinubu has known structure to carry out elaborate electioneering campaign. Also, Tinubu has deep pocket to finance election activities.

Tinubu, however, has troubling crisis over the APC Muslim-Muslim presidential joint-ticket, including controversies  over his age, education, real identity, and health.

Tinubu is also carrying the burden of the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari  which has caused despondency among Nigerians.

The APC presidential candidate may need to resolve these contentious public concerns to rebuild populist confidence.

Kwankwaso   

Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso was governor of Kano State 1999 to 2003; and 2011 to  2015. He lost the governorship election in 2003 to Ibrahim Shekarau of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). He was Minister of Defence 2003 to 2007.

Kwankwaso has reputation for infrastructure development, human capital development and government’s interventions to eliminate promiscuity in Kano State. He is a man of ideas on socio-economic development.

Kwankwaso is the first governor in Nigeria to create two state universities. He provided free education for university students, including those in the secondary schools.

Kwankwaso sent many students to foreign universities, and across Nigeria, all fees paid by the Kano State government.

Kwankwaso provided massive infrastructure in Kano during his tenures. He also established an agency to discourage promiscuous life in the state, sponsoring mass wedding for divorcees, widows, including others who were matured for marriage but have no means. Mass wedding was organized at intervals for the beneficiaries. The couples were only required to get partners, then, attend the mass wedding when scheduled, all expenses paid by the state government.

Kwankwaso had attempted presidential race in 2011, 2015, 2019, but failed to pick the ticket on either the PDP or the APC. He formed the NNPP where he is the presidential candidate for 2023.

The NNPP presidential candidate has established his authority in Kano politics, developing the Kwakwansiyya movement with massive followership in Kano State.  His structure has the capacity to mobilise over one million votes in Kano.

However, Kwankwaso does not have the structure that can influence mobilization of support across the country. Again, he is not a money bag.

Peter Obi

Peter Obi served two tenures as governor of Anambra State. Obi is a dogged fighter within the ambit of the law for political power.

Obi was famous for prudence, infrastructure development, education development and security.

Obi developed massive infrastructure when he was governor. He invested funds directly to secondary schools for development. Few months after he left office, Anambra State recorded the best results in SSCE and JAMB in the country.

Peter Obi recruited the dreaded vigilante group, Bakassi Boys, to tackle the outburst of violent crimes, rage of armed robbers in Anambra State. The Bakassi Boys, within months of activities, freed Anambra State from the deadly armed robbers and other violent group.

Obi is also repute for prudent management of public funds. In his handover report to his successor, Willie Obiano, on March 17,  2014, Obi left a net balance of over N86.67 billion.

Obi has triggered a political current of Obidient movement catching up millions of nigerian youths and others.

Obi’s major weak area is the absence of political structure to sustain the momentum across the country. Again, there is also the fear that the LP is ‘frugal’. Also, the LP was yet to be properly established in all the states of the federation. This may be a source of weakness. Funding the campaigns may be a problem as Obi runs ‘a saintly’ campaign. However, the supporters have shown commitment to fundraising for the campaigns.

The campaigns for the 2023 elections formally commenced on September 28, 2022.