As the presidential election draws nearer, the mind of the candidates eyeing a particular seat will be at the top. The anxiety of not wanting to lose the election will have, speculatively, pitched a tent in their various hearts which can only be quenched by the spirit of optimism. Refusal to be phlegmatic may end in high blood pressure.
Contesting an election is not a mere game, especially when one is strenuously struggling to attain the most revered political seat in the country.
The public campaign has kicked off as stipulated, the dust of the National Peace Accord signing ahead of the forthcoming 2023 presidential election held in Abuja is partly settled as issues were raised as the result of the absence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ably represented by his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima. Among those presidential candidates in attendance were Omoyele Sowore, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Peter Obi, and Atiku Abubakar.
Campaign strategies and political permutations or mathematics will be ringing non-stop in the heads of the contenders. In this wise, campaign of calumny or libellous campaign may spring out and may result in chaos that can possibly end in disruption of the tranquillity and the well-being of the people in the community or the nation at large.
The days of the incumbent president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari are numbered. He will, by now, be packing his loads out of the Aso Villa as he has less than six months in office. Indubitably, power is ephemeral. Will power still retain back to the ruling party? Yes or No? The 2023 election will proffer an answer to this.
Read also: Nigeria Decides 2023: Campaign promises and the issue of trust
The trick most of the candidates will utilise is the promise to thwart the present menace of comatose security, economic downturn, tribalism, favouritism, and lingering industrial strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, which the innocent masses are grappling with, which will not be fulfilled.
According to the interview with the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, the former governor of Oyo State, high chief Adewolu Ladoja, granted BBC News Yòrúbá, in his discussion, he ventured into mentioning the promise made by Buhari during his campaign in 2015 that he would use his capacity and knowledge as a retired military man to quench the flame of insecurity and terrorism in the country. The question asked by high chief Ladoja is: How is the security condition now? In my view, the crystal answer to the question is, it is just deteriorating on a daily basis.
It will be painful to the bone if at this present time we are still cajoled by pseudo-promises, which we all know will only be breached if they later mount the mantle.
Let us exercise our franchise independently. Our thumbs and the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) are the major instruments to be used in determining our preferred candidate. Power has been bequeathed to the masses as a result of the electronic electioneering process. My fellow Nigerians, be wise and never be tricked.
Inaolaji, a social commentator, writes from Ogbomoso, Oyo State
