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There’s no doubt about the fact that Nigeria’s general elections will take place next year. All hands are on deck to see to the successful prosecution of the elections.
Before the incumbent became a tenant of Aso Rock, Nigerians were not satisfied with the performance of the former president. They were also not satisfied with the bravado of the then ruling party.
So, there was a call for change of government. It was based on the change mantra that the major opposition parties formed an alliance and fielded the incumbent for the 2015 general elections.
The result of the elections earned the incumbent, Mr Muhammad Buhari the tenancy of Aso Rock.
However, the generality of Nigerians are disappointed by the lackluster performance of the Buhari administration. Nigerians were fooled by the rulership by force which Buhari demonstrated when he, with a few other officers, supplanted a democratic government on 31st December 1983.
In the world of fantasy within which some Nigerians buried themselves, they felt his sort of discipline was the best for the country. It still beats one’s imagination how a people that love their freedom could have settled for so low.
The fact remains that many discerning Nigerians are not satisfied with government’s output. A lot of people are therefore calling for change.
However, apart from the fact that there’s hardly any credible organised opposition party now, some people have taken the search for a presidential candidate beyond the ridiculous.
Initially, a major and fomer chief security officer to the most brutal dictator the country has ever encountered floated a party under which he would contest for president. Possibly, he haa seen the handwriting on the wall because he has remained silent.
A popular Fuji musician and an actor too have been rumoured to be in the race. While we maintain that, as citizens of Nigeria, they are eminently qualified to contest for any elective post in the country, we just feel this is a serious matter that should be beyond trifling with.
Then the more serious contenders. Although we consider their coming out as being rather late, at the same time if they could reorganise themselves, they could still give the incumbent a run for his money.
In the first instance, they should present a single candidate. Second, they should go under a political party. Third, their political parties must organise grassroots rallies where the candidates and the political party’s manifesto will be sold to the people.
Maybe they could still grab Aso Rock from the incumbent.
But for now, it is our belief that there’s no beating the incumbent. This is more so when the constitutional requirements for a person to be successful in a presidential election is considered. That is, apart from winning most of the votes, he is required to have won one quarter of the votes in two thirds of the stated including the federal capital.
We don’t see the incumbent not satisfying these requirements!
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