Nigeria 2023 Elections: a struggle between an influential political class and a frustrated electorate.

To start with, I believe Nigeria is a very complex country in terms of religion, ethnicity, and orientation. These complexities have created so much division, inequalities, and strata, which have impeded the political development of the country. The recurring question on my mind has always been that – are there no people who can take the bull by the horns and fix this country? Honestly, there are! They don’t necessarily have to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, they only need to work with a President who is desperate to fix this country. Today, a lot of these sound minds sit by the side line and express optimism for a better Nigeria. This is the stage we are stuck in and have been since I was probably born.

As the 2023 general elections get closer, I like to think that Nigeria has two main strata with multiple sub-strata. On one extreme is the political class, a crop of Nigerians who have gotten political power either through generational influence, sheer luck, and godfatherism. Among themselves, they have created a system that helps them recycle across political levels. There is nothing wrong with recycling a politician who has a proven track record of success and good character, but everything is wrong when a failed politician with questionable character is recycled. This partly explains why Nigeria’s political development has not transitioned beyond its nascent stage. The pride of the political class in Nigeria is damning. They would go to any length to get to power; sadly majority of the electorates who are their own saviours have discounted the future of the country for pennies handed down to them from their own taxes by politicians who enslaved them. Arguably, poverty is the biggest bane to Nigeria’s political development. It is a tool well understood by the political class, has been used, and will likely be used to mortgage the future of the country.

The fuel subsidy protest (Occupy Nigeria) of 2012 and the End SARS protest of 2020 in Nigeria was a reawakening of a budding strata, a group of Nigerians who seem to be frustrated by suffering, hardship, insecurity, and political inequality. These movements showed the resilience of some Nigerians who believe that a better Nigeria can be created. On the flip side, the lessons and legacies from these movements were short-lived. It then makes one wonder: are the electorates truly frustrated? Because if we are truly frustrated, we should want to do something about it. Right? This is where the complexity about Nigeria’s politics and struggle triumphs. Contrary to expectation, there is so much division between these supposedly frustrated electorates, who are said to be the future of Nigeria. The odds against the electorate are mostly self-inflicting than imposed by the political class. In fact, the puzzling note in respect of the upcoming general elections is that the political class seem to have a more united front than the electorate, even though this unity was a residue of alignment and betrayal. This is exactly the challenge with the electorate.

The 2023 elections will likely come and go; only one president will be elected for another 8 years perhaps. To get the best from this election, the electorate must really be tired of happenings in Nigeria. That frustration is needed. Then, people should vote for who they consider best to solve their frustration (could be insecurity, hunger, bad roads, unemployment among others). In making this decision, I honestly think four factors that should be considered among others: character of the candidate, proven track record, achievable economic blueprint, and willingness to work with honest and brilliant minds. When the push comes to the shove, the absence of these factors will not only be inimical to the political and economic progress of the country, but it will also wear off any achievements whatsoever that previously existed.

Written by Michael Ogunremi

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