The Year 2023 has been a significant season which has featured unforgettable epochs in the political history of Nigeria. Starting from the beginning of this year, until this very moment, the country has never witnessed a break in the ring of these sociopolitical events.
By Ademu Usman Idakwo
In this content, we shall be dissecting some of the very politically remarkable happenings in Nigeria:
The 2023 Presidential Election
The Presidential Poll remains one of the events that shaped the year with the emergence of presidential candidates from the three major ethnic groups in the country.
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APC
The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) featured the former governor of Lagos State and the national leader of the party, the now-President Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba flag bearer from the South West.
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PDP
The main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP nominated the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a Hausa- Fulani as its presidential candidate.
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LP
The Labour Party (LP – a third force) made the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, An Ibo man from South East candidate for the poll.
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Other Political Parties
The election was keenly contested along with other inconsequential political parties with the following candidates :
Imumolen Christopher – Accord Party (AP), Al-Mustapha Hamza – Action Alliance (AA), Sowore Omoyele – African Action Congress (AAC), Kachikwu Dumebi – African Democratic Congress (ADC), Sani Yabagi Yusuf – Action Democratic Party (ADP), Umeadi Peter Nnanna – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Ojei Princess Chichi – Allied People’s Movement (APM), Nnamdi Charles Osita – Action Peoples Party (APP), Adenuga Sunday Oluwafemi – Boot Party (BP), Obi Peter Gregory – Labour Party (LP), Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso – New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Osakwe Felix Johnson – National Rescue Movement (NRM), Abiola Latifu Kolawole – Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer – Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ado-Ibrahim Abdumalik – Young Progressives Party (YPP), Nwanyanwu Daniel Daberechukwu – Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The election divided the country into three major blocs, struggling for the presidential seat.
The South East were predominantly for Obi, because Ibo had never had the chance to become the president since the advent of democratic rule, and they felt it was an opportunity to claim the exalted position.
However, Obi did not enjoy national political spread like the two other major contenders from the PDP and the APC, whose cults of followership spread across the six geo-political zones.
It was the first biggest election since 1999, because of the ethnic and regional interests that came into play.
The election attracted international attention because Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy and the most populous black nation in the world.
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Election Interplay
There were various permutations by different political analysts, including the possibility that none of the three major candidates would secure 25 percent of the vote in two-thirds of the states – a constitutional requirement for a winner.
If that had happened, it would be the first time the country would see a run-off election in a presidential election.
The ethnic card being played by some presidential candidates heightened tension in the already charged political atmosphere in the country.
The ugly situation made an international Magazine, London Economist once again highlighted Nigeria’s political history, as it sojourned through the democratic civil rules, thus: “Nigeria has been cursed with bad rulers”.
The magazine noted that since the military regime gave way to democracy in 1999, elections have offered voters an ugly selection of the ‘ancient‘, the ‘incompetent‘ and, most recently, albeit a former military dictator, Muhammadu Buhari.
“Parties have stoked ethnic divisions, intimidated their opponents and bought votes. Many federal, state and local candidates seek power to grab a share of the country’s oil wealth. Successive governments have been deeply corrupt,” the Economist said while referring to the 12th February election.
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PDP and Its Zoning Crisis
Another event that formed part of 2023 political history is the zoning crisis:
The zoning crisis in Nigeria’s major opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was resolved in May 2022, following the party’s decision to throw open its 2023 presidential ticket to all regions of the country.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed the party’s position following the end of the PDP National Executive Council meeting.
He said the decision to allow an open contest for the ticket was in line with the recommendation made by the party’s zoning committee.
“After extensive deliberation, NEC aligned with the recommendation of the PDP National Zoning Committee that the Presidential Election should now be left open. The party should also work towards a consensus candidate where possible,” Ologunagba said.
He said the recommendation of the Zoning Committee was based on the interest of justice and fair play.
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Tunubu and the Emilokan Drama
The All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential aspirant was comically associated with the now famous Yoruba phrase ’emi lokan’, which means “It is my turn”.
The former Lagos State governor, now the president, introduced the comical words while campaigning to delegates in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, in the run-up to the APC presidential primaries.
At the meeting, Tinubu, who was sensing betrayal from his friends and political associates, narrated how his support granted Muhammadu Buhari the votes to become Nigeria’s President after three attempted bids.
He said it was now his turn to become the President of Nigeria. Tinubu said repeatedly to the surprise of many, “It is my turn”.
Although Tinubu was criticised for that statement by some Nigerians,
he used that to boost the support of his people who were at times in a dilemma over whom to choose, especially between former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and him.
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The Amendment Of Electoral Act 2022
On February 25, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the 2022 Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law, which repealed Electoral Act No. 6, 2010.
The Act brought more innovations to the regulation of Federal, State and Area Council elections in Nigeria.
The INEC, following the new electoral Act, introduced the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, which fulfils Nigerians’ yearning for more transparent, free, fair, and credible elections since the return of democracy in 1999. These interventions haven’t been without challenges.
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The G-5 Governors’ Conspiracy
The G-5 members are Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Samuel Ortom (Benue). This group was burned out of the post-PDP presidential primaries.
The governors, frustrated by the outcome of the party’s presidential primary election won by Atiku Abubakar, demanded that the party Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, should step down.
But the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and a majority of the party’s leaders have refused to succumb to the demand, insisting that if, at all possible, it would happen only after the election.
The G-5 escalated the crisis in the PDP, which led to the eventual defeat of the presidential bid of its candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
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Naira redesign Saga
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced in October last year that it planned to redesign, produce, and circulate a new series of N200, N500 and N1,000 notes. The three notes represent the highest denomination of Nigeria’s eight legal tenders.
Following the launching of the new currency designs on November 23, 2022, by President Muhammadu Buhari, many Nigerians expressed disappointment over the scarcity that followed the new naira notes, as well as the apex bank’s handling of the process.
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The ‘Obidient’ Upsurge
This group was associated with millions of youths who were plotting to dethrone the older order through the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The activities of these young people were noted by many world news houses such as CNN, Al-Jazeera, and BBC, suggesting that it may cause political disruption in the 2023 Polls to pave the way for a new Nigeria.
The Obidients who were drawn from the eastern states, Lagos, South-South states and the north central states gave the old politicians a run for their money. They aligned with Obi because of his productive economic campaign promises.
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Supreme Court Judgment On Senator Lawan and Machina Over APC Ticket
Source: X
In a judgment that remains unexplained, the Supreme Court restored the Senate President, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Yobe North Senatorial District.
In a split judgement of three to two, the apex court affirmed Lawan as the authentic senatorial candidate of the APC in the Yobe North Senatorial district. Justice Centus Chima Nweze, who delivered the majority judgement of the apex court, held that Machina ought to have commenced his case at the Federal High Court with a writ of summons, given the grievous allegations in his suit against the defendants.
However, Justices Adamu Jauro and Emmanuel Akomaye Agim disagreed with the majority judgement. They held that the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal were correct in their findings, which affirmed Machina as the authentic candidate.
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President Bola Tinubu Certificate Scandal
President Tinubu’s political career has been riddled with controversy, ranging from inconsistencies in his credentials which were first spotted after he became governor of Lagos in 1999.
In a Supreme Court hearing in 2002, Tinubu’s team blamed the discrepancies on a clerical error and invoked his immunity as governor from prosecution. In 2023, the bad past resurfaced with the President almost drawn into the legal battle.
Reprieve came on his way when the matter was laid to rest by the Supreme Court at least for the next four years.
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Off-Season Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, received a hard knock from Nigerians over its inability to redeem its integrity with 11,2023 off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states after an abysmal outing in the general elections held early this year.
The election being the first major election held under President Bola Tinubu, ought to have improved tremendously, given his acclaimed democratic credentials.
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Gov. Alia and the Benue APC
This was another major event of the year because of the personalities involved. The state was almost ungovernable for the Rev. Father turned-politician because of the internal rebellion within his party.
The governor suffered rejection from his political party members because he allegedly refused to share the National cake.
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Rivers State Political Crisis
It is one of the recent political upheavals in the country. There was a face-off between an estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike and his godson, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The fierce political battle led to the defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressive Congress (APC).
The crisis turned dramatic with the embattled Governor erecting a live band that waxed a song titled, “Dey your dey make dey my day, nobody worries nobody” to the excitement of the crowd at the flag off of a housing project in the state.
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Tribunal Judgement Sacking Three Opposition Governors
The election Petition and Appeal Court judgements sacking Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano state elected on the New Nigerian People’s Party, NNPP, the governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and another PDP Governor, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State was another big issue in 2023.
The controversy surrounding the judgments that unseated the governors generated a lot of heat across the country, leading to heavy protests in Kano and Plateau states.
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Senator Akpabio’s Slump At The Birthday Bash
The Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s birthday celebration and colloquium was the talk of the town as it attracted “Who is Who” in Nigeria.
The celebration was greeted with pomp and pleasantries. The celebrant was later rumoured to have collapsed on the stage and was bundled to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.
