Political players, events to watch for

• Published date: 08 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

THE ongoing face-off between the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and the G5 governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, is without doubt, one of the biggest political developments of 2022 in Nigeria. It was unforeseen, as was the case with many of the country's political events of that year.

But, among the major events to look out for in 2023 is one that is already known - the forthcoming 2023 general elections. The quadrennial electoral contests across the country will usher in new leadership for the country and in 29 out of the 36 states of the federation. According to the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the presidential and gubernatorial elections will hold on February 25 and March 11, 2023 respectively.

But apart from the elections, there are several other major political events in the pipeline. Some of these events are follow-ups to some of the happenings of last year while others are new beginnings within and outside government and political circles. Among them is the mandatory swearing-in of a new president. This will take place on the 29th of May. Same day, new and re-elected governors will take office in most of the states of the federation.

A new leadership will also emerge in the New Year for the National Assembly that will go by the name 10th Assembly. In the early days of June 2023, the 10th Assembly will be convened. Of course, the scramble for the principal positions in both the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly will commence long before then. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) will also be reconstituted this year by the new president that will take office next May.

Also, staggered governorship elections will be conducted in some states of the federation in 2023. These are parts of the seven states excluded from the 2023 general elections. Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa are states will witness guber elections later in the year. And if current predictions by political analysts turn out to be true, there will be a fierce struggle for the soul of the opposition PDP in the event that Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate, loses the 2023 presidential election.

To former National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the PDP should be thinking about life after the 2023 general elections. According to the former Edo state governor, the current crisis rocking the main opposition PDP was a clear indication of outright victory for APC in the forthcoming 2023 general elections. According to him, Atiku had depleted the opposition party's chances by offending some of those who ought to be major backers of his campaign, citing the scenario with the G-5 Governors.

But former Oyo State deputy governor, Barrister Hazeem Gbolarumi, boasted that with or without the G-5 Governors, Atiku will win the 2023 presidential election and go ahead to reposition the country and the PDP. He looks forward to a future where Atiku, as president will correct the many anomalies within the opposition PDP. This was just as former Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, assured that the lingering crisis be-devilling the party at the national level would be amicably resolved before the February 25 presidential election.

But pundits are of the opinion that should Atiku lose the presidential election, the crisis within the PDP will fester as a fierce struggle for the control of the party between the camp of the presidential candidate and forces...