By Mahmud Tajudeen Agaka



The February 25 2023 election would be remembered as perhaps the most keenly-contested election in Nigeria since return to democracy in 1999, as I have pointed out couple of days ago after the ruling of the apex court that affirmed the election that produced Mr Tinubu as Nigeria president.

As usual, the legal outcomes were a topic for days within our circles of friends, the arguments and the counter productive ‘argument’ that thrown up that day propelled me to considered my opinions into these very texts.

It’s a public knowledge that after INEC pronounced Mr. Tinubu as the rightful winner of the February 25 election, a series of legal battles ensued that filled up our media spaces for almost nine months after. Dissatisfied with the declaration of Tinubu as president-elect by INEC, the leadings opposition party (PDP)’s Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of Labour Party who came second and third respectively, embarked on torrents of legal journeys to challenge the outcome of the poll in separate suits, which included inability of the Mr President to inability to meet the 25% requirements in Abuja, the failures of INEC to transmit results in it real-time to IREV and posed of certificates falsification/forgery among others.

After a long legal tussle, the supreme court vindicated Mr Tinubu and dismissed all the suits filled by the opposition parties.

It was a battle that many thought distracted ‘the massive plans of APC’ and contributed to the inabilities of the presidency to face governance as Mr President promised in his inaugural speech. He stated that he will hit “the ground running”, noting that he was the one that intended to run for the nation’s top job and has prepared fully for every outcome.

Now that legal battles have finished, it is very important to remind the president that this is the right time to hit the ground running and a productive time to concentrate on governance. As popular Thomas Jefferson posited on roles of good governance: “the care of human life and happiness and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.”

It should be noteworthy to remind Mr. President that Nigeria is in a serious economic crisis. It has come to light that Nigeria annual inflation rate has heavily climbed marking – the highest rate since 2005, reflecting the impact of the fuel subsidy removal that was presented to the people as anti-masses policy. The devaluation of the official exchange rate, security issues, food prices and the rate of unemployment.

It is on these that I have to remind and advise Mr. President that the victory isn’t yet accomplished until his promises are fulfilled: giving dividends of democracy, good governance and provision of better living condition for all and sundry. This is what I wish and what I think the ‘Renewed Hope’ that was projected to Nigerians is all about. Country men are anxiously looking forward to their manifestations.

For Atiku Abubakar, I think it is time to drawing the curtains. May I first salute his doggedness, connectivity, fighting spirit, and war chest.

Indeed, he has fought a well applauded series of battles from 1993 till date. Some may dismiss the ‘battles’ as ones that have not yielded the intended results – maybe positively for Alhaji Atiku. Some however believe that Atiku has been vindicated in all aspects – ‘as a true democrat, leader of all leaders, pan Nigeria.’ His fighting spirit is superfluous and his relentless efforts in building a better Nigeria will go down in history as a story of a valiant and perhaps one of the founders of modern democracy in Nigeria.

At this juncture, Alhaji Atiku must look beyond himself, and at the bigger picture of the party, how to steer the party forward because he’s naturally a leader and father of the party who can turn to a kingmaker. Not necessarily quit the stage but he can champion equality; filling the gap that is missing in the party and to support and rally round the younger party statesman, with the like of former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, former governor Aminu Tambuwal, former governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Senate Anyim Pius, Governor Bala Muhammad and other party’s stalwarts for the party’s presidential ticket in the future election.

Furthermore, the PDP as the oldest party in Nigeria must also needs to come together, re-strategize, align and realign to strengthen and produce a viable opposition political party for good governance, accountability and good democracy in our system. This is of course what our nation needs. PDP needs to re-posite itself and shy away from ‘traumas’ caused by court verdicts. Importantly, PDP should stand chance as a voice for the anti-masses policy/policies and a platform willing to aid the youths in actualizing their political dream.

For Obi and his supporters, I have to say these: Mr Peter Obi was prior to the elections an unpredictable political entity. This is a man who emerged from being a political underdog (known because he was Atiku running mate in 2019) to become ‘the third force’. Having a third voice was unheard of in Nigeria political history, or at least, not as strong as it Peter Obi and his supporters alias ‘Obidients’ made it in the 2023 presidential elections.

It was no surprise that some Nigerian castigated and perceived his ambition ‘as dead on arrival’ when he declared and picked the presidential tickets of the Labour Party after he left the PDP eve to the primary election.

Surprisingly, Mr. Obi managed to win the hearts of teeming youths in a manner that overwhelmingly affected the outcome of the polls. Also, the youths’ acceptance of Mr. Obi as their preferred candidate in the previous election reflected in voting pattern, which eroded Tinubu of victory in Lagos and caused the ‘controversial 25% in Abuja’.

Even the Labour Party received such an unpredictable surge in followership.

Peter Obi, or his followers, posed him as the ideal model for Nigeria politics. Obi came at a time southern-easterners were agitating against what they tagged as political marginalization and proactively interested in producing Nigeria president. The belief that Obi who is a former governor and economic expert can turn the fate of Nigeria around was massively preached and accepted by his followers.

There were also narrations that the other two contenders – Tinubu and Atiku – are too old for the job of Nigeria’s number one.

Similarly, the master-class performance and the composition of Labour Party and its candidate is well commendable, and this earned/earns the party global recognition and a spot for Peter Obi as the candidate to beat in future election.

Well, Obi and its staunch supporters shouldn’t choose this time around to hide between their fingers, they rather should face the realities of Nigeria political and cosmopolitan systems. They also should note how the framers of Nigeria constitution put how president can be elected. No region can single-handedly produce president. In fact, massive votes from SW, SS and SE may not be sufficient to produce president. The famous two-third of the total votes cast must be bored in mind. PO and his supporters must note this for future reference.

Before I proceed to halt my pen, let me quickly draw the attention of the public to the former President Goodluck Jonathan aide, Mr Reno Omokri who recently declared on his Facebook page that “if Waziri Atiku and Peter Obi both contest again in 2027, president Bola Tinubu will be re-elected.” this is simply because before 2023 election, the People Democratic Party had won in every state of the South East in every election since 1999, and the only path to victory is if one isn’t choosing to run against another, the expected votes will be shared between either of the two from South East and in some North Central states. Yes, that’s among the realities Peter Obi must embrace because of his defection from the PDP to another party.

It will be an interesting exercise to see Peter Obi open to recourse, understand and opt to unite with his former party in the forthcoming election to play a viable opposition party, to outclass and put an end to the APC-led administration and leading Nigerians out from the messes that are being promoted by the APC in their years in government.

Mahmud Tajudeen Agaka, a Public/Political commentator writes from Ilorin, Kwara State capital.

Which governance?

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Losers should try again in 2027😔