The 2023 presidential election of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has held as scheduled and it was fair, free, and credible at least to a certain degree. Nigerians from all nooks and crannies gleefully enjoyed their political right to vote being one of the fundamental human rights stated in the 1999 constitution.
The percentage of the turnout compared to other elections held since the return to democracy in 1999 was adjudged to be low. The low turnout can be attributed to many factors to include but not limited to scarcity of Naira notes, poor political education, presumed violence and the economic hardship in the nation at present.
The electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had, on 1st March 2023, declared the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the fortuitous megahit in the just concluded presidential election. It is indeed a feather to his cap; a known kingmaker warming up to wear a crown.
Tinubu needs no introduction in the political milieu of Nigeria, the acclaimed giant of Africa; he is well known like money. For the sake of young Nigerians who may not know him well, it is pertinent to describe him. Asiwaju Ahmed is a two-term governor of Lagos state who served between 1999 and 2007 during the President Olusegun Obasanjo government. He also served as a senator for Lagos West, Lagos state.
Last year, when the flagbearer of APC was declared winner in their party’s primary election, he was outrightly faced with the conundrum of who should be picked as his running mate. After thorough scrutiny, he selected Kashim Shettima who happens to be a Muslim just like Tinubu. This invariably means they are to fly with a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Nigerians especially some Christian adherents turned bad eyes. This is not the first time such will be put into a test in the country. In the 1993 presidential election that was annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida, Abiola, alongside Babagana Kingibe, flagged a Muslim-Muslim ticket without much objurgation.
Consequently, tons of political pundits, on the pages of newspapers, epitheted it as a strategic bid to Islamise the country upon mounting the mantle of presidential seat which I think is far from any reasonable truth. Some Nigerians are of the thought that it will hinder his chances of winning the election. His triumph in the just concluded election is an indication that the potency of destiny is unconquerable.
At this juncture, I want to avail myself this opportunity to felicitate with the president-elect of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on his victory. He should, by now, be ruminating on the process to swiftly quench the flame of the hardship tormenting Nigerians. The problems include insecurity, joblessness, economic downturn, lack of infrastructural amenities among others.
Also, the duo of Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Peter Obi, the flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP), et al should not see their defeat as a misfortune but as a stepping stone to another glory.
If they are destined to, later in years to come, serve as the president of the country in discourse, they will surely be.
Sheu Habeeb Abidoye,
Abuja
[email protected]
