Nigeria: The old order is winning
26 February 2023 By Kareem Abiodun Giwa
Atiku Abubakar, Bola Tinubu, and Peter Obi
The status quo prevailed in Nigeria's general election on Saturday, February 25, against the expectation of a political transformation. The old political situation in the country is that a presidential candidate from the West or East must have an in-road in the North to win. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the country's first ceremonial president, immediately after independence allied with the APC, the North's dominant party, and defeated his erstwhile competitor, Obafemi Awolowo, who was from the West.
Available results from the February 25 presidential election show that the lack of a foothold in the North may have undone the widespread expectation of a political movement called the Obedient of the Labour Party, LP. The party's flagbearer, Peter Obi, manifestly did not learn any lesson from Obafemi Awolowo's experience of unsuccessful presidential bid all his political life, despite his description by Odumegwu Ojukwu as the best president Nigeria failed to have.
Awolowo dominated the West's politics, Azikiwe in the East, and Ahmadu Bello in the North. Awo was considered an angel in the West, Zik an orator of no equal in the East, and Bello as equaling a monarchy in the North.
When Ladoke Akintola, Awo's deputy in the West, fell out of favor with his boss, he quickly formed the Nigerian National Democratic Party, NNDP. He allied with the APC in the North. He gave Awolowo a tough political fight in the West. He would have succeeded against Awolowo had the military coup of 1966 not stopped him.
Bola Tinubu of APC is a political heavyweight from the West with a strong foothold in the North. On the other hand, Obi of the LP is exhibiting an equal weight in the East and among many youths in the West, but he has yet to show the required presence in the North. While Abubakar Atiku of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, claims the North.
That Tinubu's APC is reportedly leading in election results in the West, followed by Obi's LP, Obi's LP is leading the East in what seems like a virtual control, and Atiku's PDP exhibits strength in some parts of the North strongly followed by Tinubu's APC in a seeming fierce competition, should not be surprising.
Winning a presidential election in Nigeria needs a strategy that considers the mobilization of voters in all parts of the country. But unfortunately, the equation has placed Tinubu and Atiku in the lead and the status quo's prevalence. Nigerians should begin thinking about how to hold their governments accountable at all levels of governance than thinking of a popular movement for change.
Meaning the country's media needs rebranding to lead and set a transformative agenda. And if Tinubu wins, he should not underestimate the disenchantment of youths, massive job creation and ameliorating the overtly hard economic situation in the country.
Available results from the February 25 presidential election show that the lack of a foothold in the North may have undone the widespread expectation of a political movement called the Obedient of the Labour Party, LP. The party's flagbearer, Peter Obi, manifestly did not learn any lesson from Obafemi Awolowo's experience of unsuccessful presidential bid all his political life, despite his description by Odumegwu Ojukwu as the best president Nigeria failed to have.
Awolowo dominated the West's politics, Azikiwe in the East, and Ahmadu Bello in the North. Awo was considered an angel in the West, Zik an orator of no equal in the East, and Bello as equaling a monarchy in the North.
When Ladoke Akintola, Awo's deputy in the West, fell out of favor with his boss, he quickly formed the Nigerian National Democratic Party, NNDP. He allied with the APC in the North. He gave Awolowo a tough political fight in the West. He would have succeeded against Awolowo had the military coup of 1966 not stopped him.
Bola Tinubu of APC is a political heavyweight from the West with a strong foothold in the North. On the other hand, Obi of the LP is exhibiting an equal weight in the East and among many youths in the West, but he has yet to show the required presence in the North. While Abubakar Atiku of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, claims the North.
That Tinubu's APC is reportedly leading in election results in the West, followed by Obi's LP, Obi's LP is leading the East in what seems like a virtual control, and Atiku's PDP exhibits strength in some parts of the North strongly followed by Tinubu's APC in a seeming fierce competition, should not be surprising.
Winning a presidential election in Nigeria needs a strategy that considers the mobilization of voters in all parts of the country. But unfortunately, the equation has placed Tinubu and Atiku in the lead and the status quo's prevalence. Nigerians should begin thinking about how to hold their governments accountable at all levels of governance than thinking of a popular movement for change.
Meaning the country's media needs rebranding to lead and set a transformative agenda. And if Tinubu wins, he should not underestimate the disenchantment of youths, massive job creation and ameliorating the overtly hard economic situation in the country.
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