Those Who Shaped Nigerian Politics in 2022
As a pre-election year, 2022 witnessed the intrigues and horse-trading that characterised the presidential primaries and national conventions of the dominant political parties, as well as the signing of the amended Electoral Act 2022, with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission and a few other political actors as the dramatis personae, Ejiofor Alike reports
President Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari took a number of far-reaching decisions to shape Nigerian politics positively in 2022.
Unlike former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who imposed a presidential candidate on his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the end of his tenure in 2007, President Buhari made it clear shortly before the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in June 2022 that he had no preferred aspirant for the presidential ticket of the party. Many believed the president should have shown interest on who would succeed him but Buhari insisted that the delegates should choose the party’s candidate. When the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu announced that the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan had been anointed as the party’s consensus presidential candidate, but Buhari also disowned him.
Shortly after Adamu’s claim, Buhari held separate meetings with top party officials, governors, and presidential aspirants as rumours continued to linger that he might announce his preferred successor during one of the engagements.
But after his meeting with the northern APC governors, Buhari in a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said delegates of the party should be allowed to vote and decide who would emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.
With Buhari’s non-interference in the party’s selection process, Senator Bola Tinubu Tinubu emerged in a free and fair primary election. Many believe Tinubu would not have emerged if Buhari had chosen to anoint a candidate of his choice.
Even after Tinubu emerged, Buhari seems to have taken a decision to remain neutral and ensure free, fair and acceptable elections in 2023. After attending his party’s presidential campaign flag-off in Jos, Plateau State, Buhari has stayed away from his party’s campaigns, an indication of his neutrality even when his party will contest the 2023 polls. He has vowed to ensure that the 2023 elections would be acceptable to all the contestants. If he matches his words and body language with actions, the 2023 general election will beat the 2015 elections in terms of fairness. Buhari also demonstrated his determination to ensure credible polls in 2023 with his signing of the amended Electoral Act 2022.
Yemi Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was one of the front runners in the race for the presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Many Nigerians believe he was the best man in view of his over seven years of experience as the vice president, his academic qualifications which are unrivalled and his sterling performance as the acting President when President Muhammadu Buhari Buhari was on a medical vacation. Having worked harmoniously with President Buhari, Osinbajo was rumoured to be the preferred choice of Buhari. As the head of the National Economic Council (NEC), he was also said to have earned the respect of the 36 governors who were members of the council. Despite the fact that all odds had favoured him, Buhari did not anoint him. Many believe his independent-mindedness and some of the decisions he allegedly took as acting president without consulting the president, were his greatest undoing.
Osinbajo’s speech at the party’s convention was also adjudged the best. However, at the end of the counting of the votes, he came a distant third after Senator Bola Tinubu who scored 1,271 votes and Rotimi Amaechi, who got 316 votes.
Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar became a big factor in 2022 politics when he emerged as the presidential candidate of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the party’s May 28, 2022 presidential primary after polling 371 votes to defeat his closest rival and Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who scored 237 votes.
Other aspirants with the number of votes polled include a former Senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki – 70; Sam Ohuabunwa – 1; a former Senate president and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim – 14; Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State – 38 votes; and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State – 20.
Atiku’s victory was said to have been facilitated by the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, who withdrew from the presidential race at the convention venue and gave his support to the former Vice President.
The former vice president is being taunted by his opponents as a serial presidential aspirant, having been contesting since 1993.
Atiku had in March 27-29, 1993, contested the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential primary, losing to Chief Moshood Abiola and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe.
He was a presidential candidate of the Action Congress (AC) in the 2007 presidential election and came third after the late President Umaru Yar’Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP.
He contested the presidential primary of the PDP during the 2011 presidential election and lost to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
In 2014, he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 presidential election and contested the presidential primary and lost to Buhari.
In 2017, he returned to the PDP and was the party’s presidential candidate during the 2019 presidential election, again losing to incumbent President Buhari.
His emergence as the PDP presidential candidate for next year’s elections has plunged the party into crisis, which he has not been able to manage.
Bola Tinubu
The former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu stamped his authority in national politics when he dismantled all the intrigues against him and emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 1,271 votes to beat his closest rival and former Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who scored 316 votes.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came a distant third with 235 votes.
Tinubu contested against 13 other aspirants – Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr. Ahmed Rufai, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Jack Rich, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Senator Ahmed Yarima, Dr Ahmed Lawan, Osinbajo, Amaechi, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Mr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
While Nwajiuba shunned the presidential primary, citing the party’s refusal to zone the ticket to the South-east, nine aspirants had stepped down, eight of whom asked their supporters to vote for Tinubu.
One of the aspirants, however, asked his supporters to vote for Osinbajo.
Those who stepped down before voting began are Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Robert Boroffice, former Senate President Ken Nnamani; former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; former Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The only female aspirant, Mrs Uju Ken-Ohanenye, also asked her supporters to vote for Tinubu.
Tinubu had played regional politics until his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) joined forces with other political parties to form the APC, which wrestled power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
Before his emergence, many obstacles were placed on his way by the leadership of his party and a section of the presidency but he surmounted these challenges. Even when many believed he had played into the hands of his enemies when he threw spat at President Muhammadu Buhari and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, few weeks to the primary, Tinubu also survived despite threat against him by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. Adamu’s last-minute efforts to impose the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate was also frustrated by Tinubu and his loyalists. However, since his emergence, his many gaffes have added a comic relief to the tense political atmosphere.
Peter Obi
The supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, elevated a political party without a known formidable structure to a mass movement in 2022.
The youths achieved this feat with the massive pre-campaign rallies they organised across the major cities in the country, which unlike other political rallies, were not influenced by monetary inducements.
When Obi announced in late May 2022 that he had dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), many political analysts were anxious to know his next direction.
He did not keep his supporters waiting for too long as he announced his decision to join the LP just barely three days after he quit the PDP.
He also emerged as the party’s presidential candidate barely three days after he joined the party.
Obi emerged as the party’s choice at its national convention and presidential primary in Asaba, the capital of Delta State, after other aspirants stepped down for him. Those who stepped down were: Professor Pat Utomi; Faduri Joseph and Olubusola Emmanuel-Tella.
Despite the adoption of the LP by the Utomi-led National Consultative Front (NCFront), an umbrella body of the Third Force, in collaboration with Comrade Ayuba Wabba-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Comrade Quadri Olaleye-led Trade Union Congress (TUC), many still dismissed Obi, saying he had no formidable structure.
But Obi told critics who claimed that he had no formidable structure to clinch power next year that those making such assertion were referring to political structures of corruption and criminality which he doesn’t have and strongly abhors.
The LP presidential standard bearer said the type of structures that his critics were talking about involves bribery and corruption; and also sharing money to acclaimed political stakeholders to enlist their support and help in rigging election.
Nyesom Wike
Since he lost the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and the party’s vice presidential ticket to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has remained inconsolable. With the limitless resources at his disposal which he invested heavily with reckless abandon, Wike had believed he was making waves with his aspiration to clinch the PDP ticket. However, many were displeased with his ignoble conduct, which was characterised by his unrestrained verbal attacks on his fellow governors and his attempts to hijack the party’s structures from his colleagues in their states. It was not surprising that he lost woefully with 237 votes to Atiku, who scored 371 votes. He initially accepted defeat and pledged his support to the former vice president after he was allegedly promised the vice presidential ticket.
But he made a U-turn and started weeping inconsolably when he lost the ticket to Governor Okowa. With the huge resources at his disposal, he was able to sponsor four other governors – Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) to work against Atiku. Wike and his group, who pride themselves as G-5 have insisted that the national chairman of the party and its presidential candidate should not come from the same zone – North. They are agitating that the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu should relinquish his position to a southerner. Many believe their call for Ayu’s resignation is part of a more sinister plot to destablise the party ahead of the next year’s elections.
Rotimi Amaechi
The former Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi was believed to have been promised the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the allies of President Muhammadu Buhari in view of his closeness to Buhari’s Daura Emirate, which turbaned the former governor of Rivers State as Dan Amanar Daura (trusted son of Daura) in February 2022. Many had believed the honour was an audacious political statement by the emirate. A political under undertone was brought to bear as shouts of “Amaechi for President 2023,” rented the air, amidst singing and dancing by the locals during the ceremony at the palace of Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruk Umar Faruk, the 60th Emir of the ancient town.
As the then minister of Transportation, Amaechi built the University of Transport at the ancient city.
Amaechi was also known to have made huge financial contributions to Buhari’s election in 2015. As the governor of Rivers State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was also said to have supported Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) before the formation of the APC. It was not surprising that many analysts held the view that Buhari and his people were preparing Amaechi to succeed him.
However, Buhari never announced any preferred choice as he insisted that the APC delegates should make their choice. At the end of the convention, Amaechi came a distant second with 316 votes after Senator Bola Tinubu’s 1,271 votes.
Kayode Fayemi
The former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi was also a strong contender to the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). As the then Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Fayemi was believed to have used his position to secure the support of the majority of the APC governors. He was also believed to be close to President Muhammadu Buhari. Despite all the efforts of the leaders of the party in the South-west to ensure the emergence of a consensus candidate from the zone, Fayemi and other aspirants had refused to step down for anyone. However, when he saw the mood of the delegates at the national convention of the party, he stepped down for the then National Leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu.
Mahmood Yakubu
In 2022, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, continued with his efforts to conduct credible elections in 2023 with the use of technological innovations.
With his pressure on the relevant arms of government, the amended Electoral Act 2022 became a reality. This electoral law has helped to define elections in 2022.
The law has helped to curb malpractices and has compelled politicians to sit up ahead of the 2023 general election since it won’t be business as usual.
Also the three out-of-season elections in the FCT and the Ekiti, Anambra and Osun states governorship elections held in 2022 benefited from this improved electoral law.
The electoral umpire has used technologies to address the 10 most prevalent flaws in the country’s electoral system. These include alteration of votes at polling units, distortion of number of accredited voters, collation of false results, mutilation of results and computational errors, swapping of results sheets, forging of results sheets, snatching and destruction of results sheets, obtaining declaration and return involuntarily, making declaration and return while result collation is still in progress and poor record-keeping.
One of the technological innovations, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is a technological device used to identify and accredit voters’ fingerprints and facial recognition before voting. It is also used for capturing images of the polling unit result sheet (Form EC8A) and uploading the image of the result sheet online.
A second technological innovation, INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV) is an online portal where polling unit-level results are uploaded directly from the polling unit, transmitted, and published for the public. The accessibility of polling unit level results increases transparency and public trust in the process.
Mahmood’s avowed determination to deploy these technologies have unruffled feathers in some quarters but the INEC boss has refused to be cowed.
Iyorchia Ayu
A former President of the Senate, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, emerged as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at a time the main opposition party was enmeshed in crisis over the zoning of 2023 presidency and the tenure of Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC).
Many had thought that the former university lecturer would concentrate efforts to navigate the party through the raging storms.
Little did analysts know that his emergence would inflict more wounds on the party.
The emergence of Ayu as the National Chairman of the party in its October 30, 2021 National Convention had given the initial impression that the main opposition party was going to zone the presidency to the South. But the party threw the position open to all the six geopolitical zones. This led to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the party to the dissatisfaction of many southern leaders of the party, including Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, among other party leaders from South. Even Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State also voiced his preference for a southern presidential candidate.
Abdullahi Adamu
A former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu also emerged as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022.
Many analysts believe his emergence was as a result of his unflinching loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari, which had manifested in his sustained pro-Buhari sentiments and fierce criticisms of Dr. Bukola Saraki-led leadership of the eighth Senate.
The emergence of Adamu as APC national chairman was part of the plots to stop the presidential candidate of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu, from clinching the party’s ticket. When a section of the presidency and the then national leadership of the party realised that all the national chairmanship aspirants of the party had links with Tinubu, they drafted Adamu into the race. With his loyalty to Buhari, it was easy for him to emerge as the consensus candidate.
Ahmad Lawan
The Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan shocked political analysts when he was announced as the consensus presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. In naming Lawan as the choice of the party, Adamu said the decision was taken in consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari. But following the backlash that greeted the announcement by the other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), Buhari disowned Adamu and insisted that he had no preferred choice. The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, had claimed that nine presidential aspirants would step down for Lawan but no such thing happened. At the end of the voting, Lawan took fourth position with 152 votes after Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
Ademola Adeleke
The Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke made history on July 16, 2022 when he defeated the incumbent governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged victorious after the failed attempt by the police and the agents of the APC to nail him with an allegation of involvement in examination malpractices.
According to the results announced by the Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, the PDP governorship candidate polled 403,371 votes to defeat incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, who scored 375,027 votes.
Aminu Tambuwal
Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, was believed to have influenced the outcome of the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when he stepped down his presidential ambition to support the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar at the party’s convention in Abuja.
The governor was also a presidential aspirant on the platform of the party before his late withdrawal where he asked his supporters to vote for Atiku.
He told a crowd who welcomed him back at the state government’s house in Sokoto that his decision was a sacrifice for Nigerians and Nigeria as a country.
However, his decision to step down at the convention venue did not go down well with the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who believes the Sokoto State governor’s action was responsible for his loss of the ticket to Atiku. Wike argued that the party’s leadership should not have allowed Tambuwal to make his second speech after all the aspirants had made their speeches. The National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu also incurred Wike’s wrath when he referred to Tambuwal as the hero of the convention for stepping down for the former vice president.
