Everyday that passes, we get closer to the upcoming 2023 General Elections, one that seems to be the most important election in Nigeria in recent times.
Due to the current situation in the country, this election feels like make or break for the soul of the country. Nigeria is currently on a knife’s edge in almost every aspect. Security, the country’s economy, trust of the citizens, electricity, harmony amongst citizens just to name a few, all seem to falling down an abyss with escape in sight.
Nigeria’s two major parties, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are all dealing with internal tussles over ticket zoning and more with the Southern (South Eastern) members believing it’s their turn to compete for the presidential seat.
Zoning is a political practice in Nigeria where the political parties agree to split their presidential and vice-presidential candidates and also alternate the home area of the president between the north and south of the country. The idea of zoning is to ensure that neither the north nor the south is ever permanently excluded from power.
In an interview in November 2013, a former Vice President Alex Ekwueme explained the idea. He said,
“You know the format was that presidency was just a single term. Now if I had won in 1999, by 2003 I would have served one term and it goes to the Northeast with a vice president from South-south to serve one term. By 2007 a south-south man would have served as a president and he would have someone from Northwest as his Vice so by 2011, a person from Northwest will be president with a VP from Southwest. By now we would have the opportunity for every geopolitical zone to produce a president and I am persuaded that every geo-political zone in this country has competent man power and can serve in the highest office in the land.”
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So now that we understand what zoning is and how it might affect the upcoming party primaries and general elections, let’s see who’s declared their intentions for this office.
- Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation
- Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State
- Dr Ibrahim Bello Dauda
- Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the Chief Whip of the House of Senate
- Senator Rochas Okorocha, former Governor of Imo State
- Wisdom Osagiede, a retired colonel in the United States military
- Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
- Bola Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State
- Dave Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State
- Senator Sani Yerima, former Governor of Zamfara State
- Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria
- Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State
- Nwachukwu Anakwenze
- Udom Emmanuel, Governor of Akwa Ibom
- Ayo Fayose, former Governor of Ekiti State
- Mohammed Hayatu-Deen
- Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State
- Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe, former Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly
- Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State
- Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, the former president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.
- Oliver Diana Tariela
- Bukola Saraki, former Senate president
- Aminu Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto State
Of course, a lot more names will come up between now and the end of the year but so far, our future president is somewhere up here.
Who is your preferred pick? If you ask me, I’ll go with …
