Of proliferation of presidential hopefuls and nomination forms

The political temperature of the country is on the rise right now and pretenders, clowns, and contenders are all gearing up to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

Correct me if I am wrong but I think this is the highest number of political aspirants we have ever had in the history of the country. Every clown believes he can be president of Nigeria. The presidency of Nigeria is now a joke. At this rate, many artisans will declare for the presidency soon after all you just need a primary 6 certificate to be president of the country.

The presidency of Nigeria is a serious business. Nigeria is the largest black nation in the world and definitely not every joker should be declaring for the presidency of the country. Some persons that can’t even win their ward are declaring for the presidency. How did we get to this sorry pass?

Again like I always say in this column, I don’t think one man can change Nigeria. We need to start electing quality people from the local government level right to the presidency. In Nigeria, someone can wake up on the wrong side of the bed and declare for the presidency. Even persons who should be in jail or in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) are eyeing the presidency. What a joke.

Some of these people should start from the lower levels and make considerable impact before declaring for higher office or running a successful business.

I don’t have the power or gift of prophecy to know who will be president in 2023 but I definitely know who will not become president.

I make bold to say one of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Bola Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi, Atiku Abubakar, or Peter Obi will be president in 2023. Our politics is predictable that you will know where the pendulum will swing in 2023.

This again brings me to the outrage that followed the cost of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form. My opinion about this? I am indifferent and I don’t see the reason for the hullabaloo. APC is one of many parties.

I was amused when I saw Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) reaction to the N100m price tag. This is simple, PDP should lead by example and show they are the bigger boys by slashing their presidential form to just N5m or N10m.

Most of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the APC can afford to pay N100m or their associates can raise it for them. This is Nigeria, we know how things work. We will soon start seeing shadowy groups buying forms for their preferred candidates.

Again if you look at it critically since 1999, all the people that have won the presidency didn’t have deep pockets. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was released and packaged by his military colleagues and friends for the presidency. He didn’t have the money to run a campaign in 1999. The late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was handpicked by Obasanjo and practically ran the campaign for him.

The public was with Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 and he won not because he had deep pockets. We all know the story of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

Like I said, I don’t see the reason for the hullabaloo. There are other parties. Some are even offering their tickets for free. I also believe the 2023 presidential election will be one of the most credible in recent times. The use of technology, electronic transfer of results, and no power of incumbency can change the tide in anyone’s favour.

But you know our politicians are always looking for ways to circumvent the system and we the electorate and electoral body must be smarter and be one step ahead of the deviant politicians.

With the measures put in place by INEC, I know the next step by our politicians will be vote-buying and instigating violence in the strongholds of their opponents. INEC must do everything within its powers to guard against that. Votes must count.