For the first time since the return to the Fourth Republic in 1999, Nigeria is going into the presidential election with a breath of fresh air in a three-horse race. The emergence of the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate has introduced a new dimension to the race.
But the question of whether Obi would get the needed spread across the country to win has refused to go despite the considerable support he enjoys among the young people mostly in urban centres and social media. And those supporting Obi believe that he is a break away from the norm that has dominated the polity since 1999.
Obi also seems to be preaching the right message, insisting on taking Nigeria away from consumption to production. He is in the support of the school of thought that the verse land in northern Nigeria should be utilized in order to drive the country’s agricultural sector.
The former governor has also promised to revitalize moribund factories in Kano, Kaduna and many parts of the north. As such, Obi is of the opinion that the factories when revitalized would be the production hub of the country.
Despite these promises of turning northern Nigeria into a production hub of West Africa, the insecurity, terrorism and banditry ongoing in the region has remained a major threat that the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari finds it difficult to root out of the country.
But Obi has constantly promised that he would deal with every actor threatening the peace and law and order of the country decisively. As part of the measures to eliminate insecurity, he pledged to also negotiate with self-determination agitators like the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB; Yoruba Nation Agitators, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Boko Haram, bandits and every other necessary group.
Speaking at the Chatham House in London, on Monday, January 16, Obi said, “I will talk and discuss with all agitators. There is nothing wrong; people agitate even in my house and I have talked with them. When people start seeing justice, fairness, an inclusive government and doing the right thing, all those things will start reversing themselves and that is what Datti and I are discussing. As long as we start doing the right thing, as long as we start building an inclusive society; where people’s talent and hard work match their opportunities, you start seeing those things go down.”
Apart from the issues of economy and insecurity, Obi has also promised to restructure Nigeria by trimming the exclusive legislative list of the federal government and allowing the states and local governments to take more responsibility.
In the face of his numerous promises, Obi’s candidacy is largely driven by youths, who see the former Anambra State governor as a step towards Nigeria of their dream. The belief in Obi is also driven by his efficiency, financial prudence and undented political career so far.
While, there are others of the view that it is the turn of the southeast to produce the next president of Nigeria considering the fact that since the return to democracy in 1999, the region has neither produced the president nor the vice president.
With the election going down in the next four days and with about 93.5 million Nigerians preparing to vote in the February 25 presidential election, it is yet to be seen if these sentiments that seemed to be working for Obi are enough to deliver him as the next president of Nigeria.