Tense wait for presidential gladiators in Nigeria

By Akpo Ometan

There is a tense wait across the country for the successful presidential gladiators that would slug it out in the forthcoming 2023 polls in Nigeria, The Difference checks reveal.

With lower level primaries for aspirants seeking to be candidates at the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate already being conducted by parties in the country, the frenzy is building as to which among the dozens of gladiators presently strutting all over the country and beyond in search of leverage, endorsements and votes would be chosen to fly the flags of their respective parties.

Indeed, the next one week promises to be most intense for the gladiators and the sponsoring parties, more so as the Independent National Electoral Commission has flatly refused to budge as regards intense pressure being mounted upon it to extend the deadline for the conduct of the primaries.

Another notable issue has to do with the legal status of the entire process given the continuing unwillingness of President Muhammadu Buhari to sigh into law, the Electoral Bill that had since been turned over to him for his assent by the National Assembly.

Among the aspirants on the platform of the ruling party are Senate President Ahned Lawan, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; former Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba and National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

For the main opposition PDP, the gladiators include former Anambra Governor, Mr Peter Obi; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed, Sokoto Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, former Senate President, Buhkola Saraki and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The sole aspirant of the NNPP is former Minister of Defence, Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso while Prof Kingsley Moghalu is an aspirant on the platform of the ADC.