2023: THE REALITY OF THE ATIKU/OKOWA TICKET

In a power struggle, you should not judge between right and wrong before taking action. The result is the only standard for right and wrong. This is what power is; "If you lose, nothing matters anymore" - Excerpts from the film Jumong.

As the maxim goes 'a stitch in time saves nine' or 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'. It is a fact that election is the best time to decide if citizens will choose to prevent or will prefer to search for cure when the ill choice has already been made.

Few weeks back, it has been a race of unity and disunity as aspirants from different political parties were busy jostling to be the flag bearer of their respective esteemed political party. After the race to pick the best candidate which was judged by the delegate has been a successful one, another marathon begins, to choose a running mate. 

It is no longer news that former vice president Atiku Abubakar won the Presidential ticket of Peoples Democratic Party for the 2023 General Election. Afterwards, the All Progressive Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the presidential ticket of the All progressive Congress for the 2023 General Election, hence it is Atiku-Tinubu 2023 royal rumble.

It has been on news about who would be the running mate of both political bigwig, with most people already condemning the Muslim-Muslim ticket. As a political scientist, issues like these should be judged using legality, not ethical measures, because ethicality varies, but legality is generally evidential.

There is no written document in which it was stipulated that 'a Muslim-Muslim' run is a run of doom. Political undertaking should not be decided using religions tenets, but popular beliefs should be based on merits.

Like once posited, "What is life if not death in disguise? what is a nation without people? a people without conscience? conscience without consciousness? consciousness without development, development without laws and laws without force?". If we are really a nation, we should know that merit should be above personal prejudice in respect to religions, also we should be more conscious about development and the force of our laws than judging sentimentally. 

Irrespective of religion, caste, ethnic group, clan, origin, general beliefs about coming from a minority or majority group, what must lord over us is the preparedness and merits of leaders. No one can islamized the country, in fact the president and vice president has no Veto on that. Also terrorism has no face, it can come from any religion, caste, or ethnic line.

Another sensational news going around is former V.P Atiku Abubakar opting for the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate, hence to the surprise of many who thought Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State would have been better, as they dismissed the Delta State Governor as featherweight politician also, that he betrayed the trust of the South.

The choice of Okowa will make a presidency under Atiku a smooth ride with no fight and quest for the number 2 citizen to overplay the number 1 unlike what was obtained during the Obasanjo/Atiku presidency between 1999-2007. This singular scence was what Atiku avoided in picking Okowa against a working and agile Wike. 

The pair of Atiku/Wike might be a dangerous one because;

• Both love to rule

• They can outsmart each other.

• The two always want things done, one in a legal way, the other can play by the balls to get what he deserve even if it is to employ the input of international big wigs.

Politics is a game of numbers, and interest. For politicians, you win at all cost, if you lose, you lose.

Using the mind of an average internet user in Nigeria, they believe Peter Obi the candidate of the Labour Party will win, registered voters are indecisive of who they will vote for between two good but aged men.

Tinubu has a high chances of winning regardless of the choice of running mate be it Muslim or Pagan, after all electorate vote base on highest bidder, the choice of a region and popular demand. As a political scientist, I subscribe to the popular belief that "the only thing constant is change; politics is dynamic, it is indefinable and unpredictable".

After all, election will come and go, and the people will go on with their everyday life. 2023 election will either make us more better or draw us a bit back, the decision of who lead the nation lies in the hands of the electorate; by voting right, conversely, have a say in the way and manner your life and nation is run.

God bless Nigeria.