As the country and its frontline presidential candidates; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , Peter Obi, Labour Party (LP) , Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) among others dare the odds, 2023 presidential election is likely to be the most complex and most closely watched election in the African continent.
Since the election is being conducted at a period of depression, the Nigerian electorate will certainly be voting for that candidate with rich pedigree and midas touch, to tackle many issues of Nigeria, from the economy problems to unemployment rate, poverty, insecurity among others.
Speaking on their chances of victory, Senator Ayo Arise, drew his conclusions from political realities which he describes as local, saying the humongous power of incumbency cannot be wished away in presidential contests, more so, when the party is fielding a formidable candidate like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who has what it takes to transform the country.
“The contestants, many times ride on the back of the government in power to reach out to the nooks and crannies of their constituencies. These are the facts available to me. There is the belief that the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Tinubu, should be able to secure his base in the Southwest and then add some other states to it to secure victory.”
Arise added that, the events that shaped the year are political, saying, We had many aspiring to be president of Nigeria, until we got to Eagle Square and the presidential flag bearer emerged, that is one of the issues that affected this year 2022. When the candidate emerges, we are able to move significantly to become a force. When we talk of the forces, you talk about Asiwaju Tinubu, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and in all we have 18 presidential candidates running.’’
For former deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi, “Election is always very difficult to predict in Nigeria, before now, elections in Nigeria had always been between, the APC and the PDP, but with the emergence of the third force represented by Peter Obi, and with the way the campaign has been going, it is always difficult to read the minds of Nigerians on where they are going to cast their vote.
“Virtually, all the three major candidates have chances and at the same time, they have their crisis. In the PDP the 5 – G governors are still there with their agitation, which more or less portends danger for us in the PDP. In APC the issue of Muslim/ Muslim ticket is an issue that refuses to go away. In the Labour Party, there is the problem of structure.
“So, it is very difficult to predict, but by and large and from the way things are going, Atiku is likely to make it.”
