2023: A YEAR TO WATCH

by Elder, High Chf Sam AMAKU (SamPen/ Veteran Journalist)

The coming 2023 Presidential election in our country,Nigeria,promises to be an interesting one even as Nigerians are still anxiously waiting for President Mohammadu Buhari to sign the new Electoral Bill.

But, if however, Mr President still refuses to append his signature to that Bill duly passed by elected Nigerian Lawmakers, then his action could be seen as a “hidden agenda”. The people of the South-East political Zone are also religiously expecting the zoning of the Presidency slot to the ZONE by the political parties.

The essence of an election is to test one’s or political Party’s popularity. It is also a measure of acceptance by the people. So, if after a maximum of eight(8)years in Office by the Buhari/APC administration, they did not lead Nigerians well, no amount of”hide and seek game ” would save them. But, if they led Nigeria and Nigerians well to the promised Land, Buhari and his APC have no fears of retaining the Presidency,come2023. However, President Buhari and his Party need to be reminded that this present Administration of theirs, has been rated as the ” WORST ” so far in Nigeria.

Even some meaningful Northern elders are of the view that Buhari’s administration had failed Nigerians woefully in all ramifications. If indeed, there are morals in our kind of politics, the APC should not seek any Presidential Office again.

In 2015 and 2019 respectively, the APC administration swore to Oaths of Office to preserve the lives and properties of Nigerians. Yet, hundreds of Nigerians including even our Military and Police Officers had been carelessly murdered by Boko Haram, Bandits and AK 47 carrying Herdsmen.

Right now, apart from daily kidnappings of innocent Nigerians including even Traditional Leaders, two Local Government Areas in Zamfara State in the North, are under the control of the Bandits? Nigerians have come to a point now that people can no longer move freely from one location to the other. Yet Buhari and his APC still claim they are in control. Most Nigerians are poverty-stricken, with no good roads, no portable drinking water and no steady supply of electricity, despite all the external loans.

Now, the Gladiators of the 2023 Presidential race are gradually lining up. Dr K. O. Mbadiwe, a one-time time political OCTOPUS ( but now or the blessed memory) would rather describe these 2023 Presidential aspirants as ” political Giants, men of Timber and Caterpillar”– the Juggernauts”.
Interestingly, they include the ” political torn– Coats” otherwise known as “Carpet Crossers”, the Multi Billionaires whose real sources of fabulous wealth are yet to be made public to Nigerians. There are yet among the aspirants, those who were privileged to serve their people as Governors.

They left the Offices without any meaningful accountability. Instead, they have become richer even than the States they served but succeeded in leaving their people in poverty-stricken positions.
What about the ex-Governor now Senator whose case( s) of the financial improper tray has been in Court without final pronouncement?
Who knows how many Bullion Vans would be rolled out next year to dish out bundles of Naira to influence voters as had been the case in the past?
Oh! NIGERIA is a funny place where political ideology, decency and Rule of Law, mean nothing. It is only in Nigeria that politicians freely abandon their political parties and with impunity, brazenly switch over to other parties— all for SELFISH interest.

A few days ago, I read about a former Chief Judge of a State in the South-East political Zone who declared his interest to run for the 2023 Presidential race. I got worried somehow. I asked myself whether this ex– CJ surveyed the Nigerian political terrain before delving into it. As an interpreter of the Law, I imagined the ex–CJ perhaps is coming to inject ” morality, decency and Rule of Law ” in our kind of politicking. But, that is too late and I hope the political Timbers already on the ground would not frustrate him out.
In his hay days in the Nigerian politics, the Oweole of Onitsha, the RT. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the father of the Nigerian Nation and the Doyen of the Nigerian Press, did all he could to get his political opponents to play the ” game of politics” according to its RULE but did not succeed.

Today, the situation has grown worse. Rigging of elections is now the ORDER of the day, even years after Zik was gone.
Some of our politicians even go as far as recruiting jobless Youths who serve as their thugs. They are paid to disrupt PEACE at polling Stations where they have no meaningful votes as well as snatch ballot boxes in transit.

Alternatively, some well educated Electoral Officers also help some politicians to rig elections in their favour by openly swerving figures and declaring a loser, WINNER.

So, in the face of all these anomalies in our political system, would a former CJ now smarting for the Presidency Seat be able to Wade through and come to terms with a system where the Rule of Law is not respected?

.For instance, how would this former Chief Judge feel if tomorrow, an Electoral Returning Officer, in his conviction pronounced him( ex– CJ) as a Winner. But, not satisfied with the judgement, the case goes to Court and surprisingly, the Court, relying on mathematical abracadabra, holds that the Fourth(4th) position Candidate in the election is the WINNER, how would he feel? This is Nigeria for you. May God save His people even as we watch the outcome of events, come 2023, Amen.