Fellow Nigerians, our democracy does not accommodate independent candidates. What this means is that we have to rely on the political parties to present candidates from which we will choose from.
Let it be known that next year 2022 is our election year. In 2023, we are only going to vote in February. In developed democracies, we should have known who the leading candidates are by this time. The citizens will then begin to scrutinize, analyze and check their background and all. But here in Nigeria, we have to wait!
The forces and orientation that drives our politics in Nigeria is backward. We have to look at zoning, religion, ethnicity, someone who can be controlled and other useless factors. Competence is never on the menu list for selecting leaders in Nigeria. We the citizens can change this trend beginning from the 2023 election.
While we wait for the political parties to give us their candidates, we can begin listing the qualities we want to see in the next president. Whichever party then brings a candidate that fits into those qualities, we vote accordingly.
My analysis of the 2023 election will be based on just 2 political parties; the APC and PDP. I have already stated my reasons yesterday. Winning a presidential election anywhere in the world is not a 6month project. All these overnight candidates who are only visible in Lagos and Abuja don’t have what it takes.
To win a presidential election in Nigeria, you need lots of money and firm structures across the country. As at today, how many political parties in Nigeria can boast of having functional offices in the 36 states of the federation? How many of them have functional local government chapters in the over 700 LGAs in Nigeria? How many of them can sponsor at least 2 party agents to all the polling units in the country on election day at the rate of N10,000 logistics fee per head?
As a responsible citizen, it is your duty to vote in an election. You have the right of choice and somehow, you are responsible for the quality of leadership we get in this country. It doesn’t matter whether you voted or not. We are all responsible.
For me, the following are the qualities we should look out for in the next president irrespective of the political party;
- A person who can work with anybody from any part of the country.
- A person who is truly detribalized and believes in the equality of all Nigerians
- A person who can communicate with the citizens directly
- A person who will select his appointees based on COMPETENCE
- A person who will be decisive, bold and compassionate in taking decisions.
- A person who believes in the sanctity of human life and is ready to defend it with all that may be required and necessary.
You are free to draw up yours. When the parties present their candidates, look for the one that meets these qualities and vote accordingly.
Tomorrow, I present the two candidates I would love to see on the ballot for the 2 major political parties in the country.
Note that these are my personal views and I am not in anyway imposing them or laying claims to some esoteric revelations.
