Elections in Nigeria, like in many other African countries, often carry a charged and tense atmosphere, reflecting both the passion and the struggles of the political landscape. They are not just about voting but can feel like a battle for power, with the stakes often higher than in more peaceful democracies.
In some states, election periods are marked by sporadic violence, with thugs hired to intimidate voters, destroy ballot boxes, or disrupt polling stations.
The police and military, while tasked with maintaining peace, may either be insufficient in their response or even complicit in the violence, adding to the chaos.
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The political environment is sometimes characterized by widespread corruption, violence, and voter intimidation.
Candidates and their supporters often engage in fierce rivalries, which can spill over into clashes, particularly in areas where ethnic and regional tensions are strong.
Political parties are frequently divided along tribal, religious, and geographic lines, with voters often feeling that their vote is not just a civic duty but a fight for their survival or identity.
In an event populated by the opposition politicians recently in Abuja, former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has once again stirred up the proverbial hornet’s nest in what the ruling party, All Progressive Congress, APC perceived as public incitement against the incumbent President Bola Tinubu, when he said “Nobody has power and will give it to you not even me… The politician in Nigeria is there to steal, maim and kill to remain in power.”
He said, “ If you think Tinubu will give it to you, you are wasting your time,” Amaechi said, stressing the need for vigilance and personal sacrifice.
The occasion was the national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, organized by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development.
Amaechi, who was drumming to the ears of power mongers and the opposition members reminded his audience which included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, and Senator Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto State, that the average Nigerian politician will not relinquish power unless compelled by the superior will of the people.
The Standard Gazette recalled that the former governor of Rivers State was a runner-up to Bola Tinubu in the Presidential Primaries of the APC in 2022 with a distant figure, which he attributed to manipulation and vote-buying.
Since the primaries, there has been no love lust between Amaechi and the incumbent President Bola Tinubu.
Amaechi claimed to have remained in the party but was never seen in any function or political activities of the ruling APC since Tinubu took over the presidency.
The Conference seemed to be an avenue for the gathering of political rivals of President Tinubu to attack him and his government whose policies have taken a hard toll on Nigerians.
Many who spoke there including the former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 Presidential Poll rated Tinubu’s administration very low in terms of human and infrastructural development.
Atiku also condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the Judiciary for the way and manners the electoral process was allegedly mismanaged in 2023.
Atiku who is a serial contestant in presidential election warned that Nigerians may not allow a repeat of what he termed the “ Electoral Siege” of 2023 to repeat itself.
Also, the Labour Party, LP Presidential candidate, Peter Obi was not left out in the criticism of Bola Tinubu’s Presidency as he pummeled the Year-plus government of the All Progressive Congress, APC, describing it as a disaster which has brought pain and miseries to the masses.
Obi came third in the general election having gained massive support from the youth under the banners of the “ Obedient Movement”.
His Political Popularity does not spread to the core northern regions, though he had impressive votes which gave his followers the belief that he was going to win the election before he was allegedly rigged out by the INEC.
Despite President Tinubu’s determination to score high in governance his administration through the introduction of various policies like the establishment of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, NELF to cater credit facilities for students in Nigeria’s Tertiary Institutions, the revitalization of moribund oil refineries in Port Harcourt and Warri and many other notable achievements, he still remains unpopular in some parts of the country, especially in the Northern States.
This could be attributed to stiff opposition within and outside his party which is determined to stop him in the event he seeks a second term of office.
The President has been swimming in the pool of troubled water between his government and one-time associates like the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-rufai, the Emir of Kano, Dr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Rauf Aregbesola, John Fayemi and many others over political fall outs.
In a build-up to the presidential election, El-rufai was one of the major pillars of Tinubu’s Campaign Team but lost out of favour after he was fenced out by the alleged cabal in Aso Rock.
The estranged Chieftain of APC has been attacking the government at any given forum to demarket Tinubu’s administration.
Recently, he came to the defence of the Kano State Radical Politician, Najatu Muhammed who accused the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu of being Hypocritical about Corruption as she alleged that Ribadu had once indicted Tinubu, Akpabio and some politicians of Southern extraction presently serving in the government as very Corrupt and needed to be jailed.
Najatu alleged that Ribudu said this when he was the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC under President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Piqued by the allegation levelled against him by Najatu, the National Security Adviser warned the controversial politician to retract the allegation or face legal action.
In the ensuing melee, El- El-Rufai jumped into the ring for a fight as he came to the defence of Najatu against the NSA.
On his verified X account, cited by the CabsWorld news, the former Kaduna state governor boldly wrote,” POLITICAL UPDATE: Najaatu Mohammed vs. Nuhu Ribadu – Nuhu must have serious amnesia.
“Najaatu’s statement is accurate.
The record of proceedings in the Senate will confirm that Nuhu made those statements, sometime in 2006.
“The subsequent Daily Trust report below of February 2007, reconfirms the essence of the statements.
“The conclusions of the Federal Executive Council in 2006, which can be subpoenaed from the Cabinet Secretariat of the SGF’s office contain the allegations.
“In that Special FEC meeting in which I was a member, Nuhu’s EFCC made similar presentations accusing many sitting officials, sometime in 2006.
“These Council Conclusions will further remove all doubts.
“This is for the record and to remind the morally flexible that at some point in our national life, silence is no longer golden.”
El-Rufai had recently in one of his many outbursts described the present leaders of All Progressive Congress, APC illiterates in Leadership accusing them of deviating from the original plan of the party that chanted a good cause for Nigerians to strange policies that pauperised them.
He said he must not keep quiet if things are going wrong and he remains a member of the party.
El-Rufai’s political riots got validation from another prominent Nigerian and Chieftain of All Progressive Congress, APC in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe who said the party should do anything possible to retain El-Rufai membership rather than allow him to go because he is more valuable than the whole cabinet members of President Tinubu.
Though El-Rufai and Amaechi have received enough doses of insults and verbal attacks from supporters of the government for castigating the administration they remain determined to fight.
Amaechi had been given the second warning from the minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalli for public incitement, a prelude to a serious clampdown.
Political pundits are also seeing another disturbing scenario that may jeopardize Tinubu’s second-term ambition which is the political infighting among the APC members in the South West, the home base of the president.
From Lagos State, the Assembly members versus themselves led to the removal of the former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
The heat generated by the impeachment has refused to cool down as Obasa and his own supporters were still holding to the belief that they were unjustly victimized, then refused to recognize the new leadership of the house.
In Osun State, the internal wrangling has claimed his first victim, the former governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola, who is believed to have a large political chest to combat and dislodge the political powerhouse due to his command of followership in the state.
Aregbesola claimed to have resigned his membership of APC along with thousands of his supporters without naming the party they are moving to.
The party leadership in the State on the other hand said to have expelled Aregbesola a few days after he claimed to have resigned from the party.
The fight between Aregbesola and Oyetola both former governors has made APC lose the State to Senator Ademola Adeleke in the last governorship election in the state.
It is clear that Tinubu’s body language does not show that he is ready to reconcile with Aregbesola and his group soon.
In Ekiti State, Former governor Fayemi though still in APC was seen romancing with the opposition in Abuja who are planning to unseat President Tinubu in 2027.
Fayemi was accused of midnight meeting with opposition leaders in the country, an allegation he had neither denied.
As the Storm is gathering across the country waiting for 2027 with various political platforms springing up against the APC retaining power, the question on the lips of political analysts is whether can Tinubu weather the storm at the polls with a nation with deep division and systemic Challenge.
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