Many Nigerians have declared and more are still declaring to contest for the 2023 presidency. Aspirants are emerging from both the ruling All Progressives Congress APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
Although a large percentage of Nigerians have hinted that the problem of the country is the fault of the APC under whose auspices President Muhammadu Buhari is leading Nigeria. A careful analysis of these people, one will see that a higher number of them are of the PDP.
The political party may not necessarily be the problem but the individual in charge of the system. Hence, this write up is not dwelling on the party to produce the candidate but the individual. It is believed that the individual is who determines what happen and not the party.
The party may have good ideology but the individuals who are saddled with the responsibility of implementing the ideals of the party may be the problem of the country. Therefore, Nigeria’s problem today is neither APC nor PDP but the individual behind the parties.
That is why any time President Buhari hands over power to his vice, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, a fresh air usually envelopes the country until the president is back into the country. That tells it is the individual and not the party.
With the 2023 race in earnest, there are over 10 presidential aspirants from both the ruling APC and the opposition PDP. Among the APC list are Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Yahaya Bello, Rotimi Amaechi, Yemi Osibanjo and others. Among the PDP which parades majority, we have Nyesom Wike, Sam Ohuabunwa, Peter Obi, Anyim Pius Anyim, Abubakar Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Fayose.
One thing I’ve always notice is that at the mention of most of the aspirants’ names, Nigerians will always pour venom on them. Aspirants like Tinubu, Amaechi, Wike, Atiku, Saraki, Tambuwal have never enjoyed the goodwill of Nigerians. But as soon as Peter Obi declared interest in the 2023 presidency, there appeared to be a revolution in Nigeria. Comments that followed the declaration of Peter Obi were as beautiful as the morning star.
Peter Obi enjoyed the love of all Nigerians. He appears to be the darling of the people. This is undermining the party and the geography from where he is aspiring to be Nigeria’s president. He was received with warmth and affection from Nigerians. No comment among a thousand of them slammed Obi for being a bad or unmarketable commodity.
Immediately his name resonated, it was as if the president Nigerians have been waiting for had emerged. Nobody was concerned about the party or whether he is an Ibo man. It was a unified voice Nigerians spoke the day he declared. Many saw a new Nigeria being berthed on the day he formally declared to run.
If it were possible, Nigerians would have agreed that there should not be election but Obi should be sworn in immediately Buhari leaves office on May 29, 2023. Yes, this goes to show that Obi was a transparent leader during his days as governor of Anambra state. This is one of the reasons why Doyin Okupe, former spokesman to Goodluck Jonathan dropped his ambition to support Obi for president.
