The window for substitution of candidates has been closed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, thus fully set the stage for the 2023 Presidential Election. Though subtle campaigns have been raging, real campaigns will start officially in earnest in September. Before Peter Obi seized the Labour Party turf and its presidential ticket, turning it into a movement, many had narrowed their attention to a two-horse race – between Atiku Abubakar/PDP and Ahmed Bola Tinubu/APC. It is now a three-horse race.
One issue that has been generating interest is the choice of running mate. Conventionally, in compliance with the national balancing, which even Nigerian military dictatorships respected in composing their regimes, two factors have always featured. The power balancing in Nigeria necessarily addresses two essentials: religion and the North-South divide.
Atiku Abubakar showed preparedness for the job by quickly nominating his running mate – Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Ekwueme Okowa. His choice fully reflected and resonated with the national sentiments, regarding religion and region. Ifeanyi Okowa represents South Nigeria and the Christian religion on the ticket.
Peter Obi who earlier used his interim campaign director general, Doyin Okupe, to hold the space to allow for more consultations, has since officially nominated Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed Yusuf as his substantive running mate. He too has respected the two key national sentiments that anchor the perception of balance in Nigeria’s federal government, be it military or civilian. Datti effectively represents the Muslim community as well as the North-South divide on the ticket.
Though he respected the need to carry the Northern divide along, Tinubu said he couldn’t afford to sacrifice competence for the reason of carrying Nigerian Christians along and nominated a fellow Muslim, Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate. Despite public outcry against his Muslim-Muslim ticket, Tinubu has stuck to his gun and if he succeeds, he must have destroyed one myth that Christianity is of any consequence in Nigeria. The February Presidential election shall tell.
Since the three key candidates with strong chances of winning the 2023 Presidential election have set sail, it is important to discuss what each running mate is bringing to the tickets.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa
Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa is a quiet achiever and appears tailor-made for the position of VP. He has achieved so much for himself noiselessly and has relied on his actions to speak for him. Many may not know that Okowa was LG chairman, Secretary to Government of Delta state, a ranking senator and now a highly performing governor who is in his second term.
As also noted by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar while presenting the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, said a running mate needs to have qualities to be the president of the country. Atiku said he picked Okowa after extensive consultations because he understands the critical importance of education, economic growth and development in providing job opportunities in the country and has the potential to succeed him at a moment’s notice if elected as president in 2023.
Atiku was clear of who he was searching for and could shout eureka! when he narrowed his gaze to Okowa. He wants a running mate who understands the critical importance of economic growth and development to join the urgent drive to provide young Nigerians with jobs, hope, and a pathway to wealth. Atiku specifically wants a VP that would help him prepare young Nigerians to be able to compete in the increasingly competitive and globalised world.
Atiku and Okowa have a lot going for them. Atiku has been a vice president to a very successful Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo. During the Obasanjo presidency, Atiku was chairman of the National Economic Council when the nation’s economy ranked the biggest in Africa and the external debts of Nigeria were liquidated to zero. His forte is therefore economy and economic development. As a university proprietor also, his interest in education and youth development is not in doubt. He has the experience to also confront the nation’s insecurity. Running with Ifeanyi Okowa who was also a ranked senator and two-term executive governor who turned Delta into a smart state, his combination with Atiku is a big deal indeed.
