By…Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Ahead 2023 Presidential election in Nigeria as 28 September was the date slated by the Independent National electoral Commission INEC for the start of Presidential and National Assembly Campaigns, a lot of activities have been kick started by Political Parties and their Candidates across the Country.
Eighteen Political Parties have Presidential flag bearers eying for the Number Position in the 25 th February 2023 election.
Among the 18 Candidates four are the most popular which include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP ,Ahmad Bola Tunibu of the ruling Party APC ,Former Kano State Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People Party NNPP and the ex Anambara State Governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
These Popular Candidates and fifteen others have engaged in several activities to mark the Campaign.
The major Focus of 2023 Presidential Candidates Campaign
It is a tradition of Politicians in Nigeria to make several realistic and unrealistic promises during Campaigns as 2023 electioneering Campaign is not an exception.
Nigeria is currently faced with an environmental crisis, with floods consuming parts of the country and displacing millions. Coupled with security and economic challenges, the parties have elected flag bearers with government experience.
All the four frontrunners have served at various capacities in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, three as state governors and one as vice president.
One of the most recent platforms for campaigns was an interaction in Kaduna with the Arewa Joint Committee which includes the Arewa Consultative Forum and Northern Elders Forum among its six organisations. In keeping with his reputation for largely eschewing associating himself with the Northern elite, Mr Kwankwaso did not attend.
However, the other three candidates were present and set out their agendas. Atiku is focused on security, employment, industry and transport infrastructure.
Mr Tinubu also focused on security, power infrastructure projects, improved education, and oil and gas exploration and discussed the need for a diversified economy with planned investments in agriculture and solid minerals in the region.
His response to a question on climate change, where he appeared to lay responsibility on the west to provide investment and financial support to enable the countries that are taking the economic hit, despite contributing little to climate change, was a narrative that circulated extensively online.
In his remarks, Peter Obi made promises to deal with insecurity, boost the economy, fight corruption and improve agricultural investment in the north.
He also mentioned addressing out-of-school children in the region and promised to lead an all-inclusive government and ensure nationwide development.
How realistic are the promises made by the Presidential candidates during Campaigns in Nigeria.
He said the calamity faced by Nigerian Democracy since 1999 Iis that , there seems to be a wide gap between Political parties manifestos and what the candidates under the parties are propagating during Campaigns.
The Political scientist stated that, it is not about laying out well crafted manifestos but it is about action.
Democracy is about delivering dividends , if political parties or candidates have manifestos that at the end of the day do not yield what Nigerians wants or do not give the satisfaction that the Democracy should give, then it is a calamity.
He said Democracy should always remain as government that serves the will and interest of the people .
And the performance of these candidates when they go in to office is the worry sum aspect of the Nigerian Democracy since 1999 according to the professor of Political science.
He added that the inability of Politicians in Nigeria to fulfill the campaign promises created so much distrust between the elected leaders and electorates.
It has even become a joke when Politicians roll out manifestos during electioneering campaigns in Nigeria .
“So it is one thing to have the manifestos ,it is a different thing all together for the politicians who finally win the election to have the political will to carry out all the promises made”
Professor Aluaigba expressed that it does not mean the promises are unrealistic ,he said it is realistic when there is a will to implement them but the politicians lack that passion as soon as they get elected, so he described Nigerian Democracy from 1999 to date as a Politics of no focus.
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