The race for who succeeds President Muhammadu Buhari after he leaves office in 2023 has overtly and covertly begun. Nigeria's main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is ready to take over power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023. It will not be an easy ride back to the presidency for the PDP after being out of the corridors of power for eight year. This is because the APC will not just fold its arm and allow the PDP to win the 2023 presidential election on a platter of gold. The APC will ensure it galvanises all its resources and manpower to remain in power at the federal government level beyond 2023.
On the part of the PDP, the party seems to be getting its house in order. A few weeks ago, a former president of the Senate, Dr Iyorchia Ayu emerged as party's new national chairman. Dr. Ayu took over from Prince Uche Secondus. Since the emergence of the one time Senate President as PDP's national chairman, there has been some level of stability in the party. More so, many PDP bigwigs have started speaking in concordant tunes. There is likewise a conspicuous level of calm among previously aggrieved party members.
In winning elections in Nigeria, especially the presidential poll, the PDP knows it has to get its house in order. The PDP has promised Nigerians a fair deal when it bounces back to power at the centre after the 2023 general elections. The party's national chairman, Dr. Ayu has likened the current APC government to a cancerous tumour. The PDP national chairman believes the coming back of his party to power is the only cure for the cancer. Time will tell if Dr. Ayu's wishes will come into fruition or not.
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| From L-R: Atiku, Tambuwal and Saraki |
In reality, the PDP is the only party that can wrestle the APC politically. Therefore, the PDP needs a virile candidate, who will win the hearts of the electorate before and during the 2023 presidential election. Who then should the PDP present to fly its flag in 2023? The answer is simple. There are three party stalwarts, who stand a good chance against the APC in 2023.
1. Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar was born on November 25, 1946. He is 75 years old. Atiku was the PDP presidential flagbearer at the 2019 general elections. Atiku lost against incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari.
In Nigeria's political space, Atiku is an old horse. He is a veteran in the game of Nigerian politics. He is the only living Nigerian politician, who has had more shots at trying to become Nigeria's number one citizen. In the early 1990s, during the days of the defunct Social Democracy Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC), Atiku lost the SDP presidential primary to late Chief MKO Abiola. After Atiku served as vice president between 1999 and 2007, he contested and lost the 2007 presidential election against eventual winner, late Umar Musa Yar'adua. Towards the 2011 general elections, Atiku lost the PDP presidential primary to former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. The same fate befell Atiku towards the 2015 presidential election, as the Adamawa state born politician lost the APC ticket to current president, Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku might have been on the losing side on many occasions, however, he is still a force to reckon with politically. The former vice president has a wide support base cut across the six geopolitical zones of the country. A good number of political watchers still think Atiku is one of the strongest candidates the PDP should put forward ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
2. Aminu Tambuwal
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was born on January 10, 1966. He is 55 years old. Tambuwal is the incumbent governor of Sokoto state. The Sokoto state governor is a lawyer by training. Tambuwal was once the Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives. He became the governor of Sokoto state under the platform of APC in 2015. He later decamped to the PDP prior to the 2019 general elections, where he contested and won his second term.
Tambuwal is not a green horn in Nigeria's murky political waters. He has over one decade experience in politics. The Sokoto state governor came second behind Atiku during the PDP's last presidential primary. He is likely to throw his hat in the ring again as far as the PDP presidential primary is concerned.
If PDP is going to consider youthfulness, then Tambuwal stands a good chance of becoming the party's presidential flagbearer ahead of the 2023 general elections.
3. Abubakar Bukola Saraki
Former Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki was born on December 19, 1962. He will be 59 years old on December 19, 2021. Saraki was the governor of Kwara state between 2003 and 2011. He served as president of the Senate from 2015 to 2019.
There are clamours in some quarters, calling for Saraki to contest for the 2023 presidential election. A few months ago, some youths under the aegis, 'Saraki is coming' marched on the streets of Kano state, urging Saraki to contest for the 2023 presidential poll.
Also, Saraki himself has declared his intention to vie for Nigeria's number one political position. In a news report by Vanguard on November 24, 2021, the former Kwara state governor, in Benue state, announced that he will run for the 2023 presidential election.
Following the decision by Saraki to contest for the 2023 presidential election, the ball is now in the PDP's court on who the party will pick ahead of the 2023 general elections.
It is not yet certain if PDP will zone the 2023 presidency to the North or make it an open contest. The body language of the party, however favours more a Northern presidency, despite having its national chairman come from the same North. If the PDP's presidential candidate is zoned to the North, the probability is high that one of the three above mentioned PDP bigwigs will emerge as the party's presidential candidate.
Nigerians are keenly watching on whom the PDP will present to run against the APC at the 2023 presidential election.
Oladele Hakeem Olaniyan who wrote this article lives in Nigeria.
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