NIGERIA 2023 ELECTIONS: A FIERCE BATTLE IS EXPECTED AS THE CAMPAIGN SEASON FOR 2023 BEGINS

On Saturday, February 25th, presidential and National Assembly elections will be held; governorship and state house of assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, March 11th.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the campaign season will officially begin on September 28.

The major contenders for the presidency are ex-Lagos governor Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ex-Anambra governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

A tough race is on the horizon, as each of the quartet not only has a large fan base, but they also know each other well enough.

When Atiku was Vice President, Kwankwaso served as Defence Minister under President Olusegun Obasanjo. Obi was Atiku's running mate in the PDP in 2015.

After leaving the PDP, Atiku ran for president under Tinubu's Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007. One of the APC foundation platforms was ACN.

Furthermore, Atiku and Tinubu have been influential in national politics for over three decades, dating back to before the June 12, 1993 election.

They both claim to have fought the military after M. K. O. Abiola's victory was cut short. As a result, the outcome of the presidential election will determine who is the stronger force.

They collaborated once more in 2014 to help President Muhammadu Buhari defeat incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, the first time an opposition defeated the ruling party.

As Buhari nears the end of his second term, supporters say the former Katsina governor has done well.

They frequently mention road construction, rail infrastructure, military equipment acquisition, and the Second Niger Bridge, among other things.

However, at least half of the population has given the APC administration a low rating, citing dissatisfaction with the economy, youth unemployment, corruption, and security.

Hundreds of people have been killed in mass murders, bandits, terrorism, farmer-herder clashes, and kidnappings. Many people are still upset about the government's controversial use of COVID-19 support funds.

According to the United Nations (UN), there are approximately 3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs); more people are leaving the country, the dollar is at an all-time high on the black market, and debt stock is increasing.

Nigerians have been deliberating and selling the candidate they believe has the ability to fix the country, both on and off the internet.

MON DIARIES gathered, more defections will be announced in the coming weeks as politicking and horse-trading intensify across states.

However, concerns about the recent spate of insecurity remain high; the recent deadly attack on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah's convoy is suspected to be an assassination attempt.

Furthermore, several comments on social media are mostly confrontational, with fears that physical arguments will lead to conflicts in specific areas.

As more young people express interest in obtaining voter registration cards, many have pledged not to be intimidated before or during the elections. This means that security forces must increase their surveillance and patrols.

Thugs attacked polling units in Lagos, including Oshodi and Okota, during the 2019 elections, destroying ballot boxes and papers.

Though a peace accord will be signed soon to ensure a peaceful election, a cross-section of the populace believes that some flagbearers and supporters violated the previous agreement.

The situation is exacerbated by the failure of INEC and law enforcement agencies to prosecute a large number of apprehended hoodlums.

Fasakin Gabriel (@fashakin87) on Twitter slammed the pact, claiming that violence still occurs during elections.

"What is the essence of signing a peace accord that holds no power? In every election, they always sign a peace accord but at the end of the day...

"..there is always violence from APC and PDP thugs. We don't need peace accord but a competent INEC," he composed.

Adenike Oriowo, INEC Public Relations Officer in Lagos, stated that the commission expects citizens and politicians to be responsible.

"The timetable has been out, and campaign will begin on the 28th. We know our role and expect everyone to play by the rules.

"My advise is that people should study the candidates' manifestoes and participate in the process", Oriowo told media Sunday night.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of INEC, has assured credible elections, adding that the days of tampering with results are over.

The Electoral Act 2022, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV), according to the professor, improved the commission's efficiency.