Despite the fact that the fuss generated by the party primaries elections is yet to go down low especially, with the issue of religious balancing of ticket in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and zoning arrangement in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The dimension of 2023 electioneering campaign for all political parties is expected to commence in September. It will give all candidates opportunity to market themselves before the electorates in terms of programmes they have in stock.
To a political watchers, the thesis and anti-thesis being generated ahead of the 2023 general elections from media interviews and public discussion on social media platforms seem to be focusing more on issues that did not offers the public ideas and strategy that defines policy options to address myriad local and global challenges requiring urgent attention.
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For us at Coalition Movement For Bola Ahmed Tinubu (COMBAT), we believed beyond the controversial issue of restructuring for the citizens to make a right decision as the election draw nearer but the ability of each of the party candidate to address the problems of economy, insecurity, infrastructural projects and host of others.
Without a doubt, the four leading presidential candidates; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (PDP), former vice president and of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi (LP), and Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Governor of Kano State of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
What appeared to be common among the four leading contenders are the facts that they have participated and won governorship elections in their respective states. In addition, they have held different political positions at federal government levels.
However, the question begging for answer is what are the impacts or accomplishments each candidate made in their previous political positions that present them as favourite to lead the country to next level?
Attempt to provide answer to this important question will redirect the attention of the stakeholders especially, the public to issue based campaign unlike campaign of calumny which usually pervades our past presidential elections in order to have wider and positive political and economic impacts for the country.
It is instructive to note that each of the top candidates have nothing less than 8 years experience of governance which is enough to offer records of performance to convince the voters on their programmes from the manifestoes of their parties. With the current challenges arising out of Covid-19, global inflation and insecurity, the 2023 campaign provides opportunity to interrogate the candidates on specific policy issues to move the nation forward.
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In light of the multiple challenges confronting the country, one would expect campaign that focus how each candidate have contributed in the past to issues such true federalism, insecurity, local government administration, revenue generation, power/electricity, transportation, anti-corruption.
For a country desirous to have a government and a leader that will address the multitude of problems in the polity. COMBAT strongly identify Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of others as a presidential candidate whose brainpower is in tandem with the desire to move Nigeria to next level?
This is based on the following:
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu stands out among the major contenders in promotion of democratic consolidation to repositioned Nigeria before and during his tenure as Lagos State Governor. It is on record that his stand for expanding frontier of governance through creation of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and efforts to sustain it despite opposition by the PDP government under Obansanjo-Atiku tickets made him far better in terms of ability to restructure the country if giving the mandate to lead the country. This is incomparable with Peter Obi of Labour party who refused to allow democratic selection of local government chairmen for 8 years while in office.
At inception of democratic system in 1999, it is tradition for states to carry handout bowls to Abuja for survival until Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu introduced intervention in the areas of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) that led Lagos State to prosperity. From robust Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of six hundred million to twenty billion naira, Lagos became a template for 35 states and lately federal government for expanding the generation of revenue.
Dissecting Tinubu’s economic track records takes him ahead of other candidates for been recognized as the visionary behind the success of Lagos state economy as a prelude to transform Nigeria economy. Tinubu pioneered efforts in the country with N15 billion raised through bonds is a track record none of the candidates can match.
The solution to power problems that gulp $16b and privatization under the PDP government which Atiku Abubakar as a former vice president played a prominent role remains a mirage despite effort of current government to clear the mess. It is a well-known fact that except Tinubu, none of other contenders have any past record in term of power solution.
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Under the administration Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos State became the first state government that generated electricity through Independent Power Project (IPP) handled by the American Company, ENRON which produced 90MW which improved the electricity supply in Lagos State.
When it comes to National Infrastructure, the transformation of Lagos state with innovation that brought into existence Lekki Free Trade Zone, the Eko Atlantic and many road projects that have help in solidifying Lagos’s status as a mega city is enough evidence to identify Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a right successor to improve on achievement of current APC government in area of New National Infrastructure Plan.
Under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a governor of Lagos that stood him out among the contenders for presidency comes 2023 include free education programme for all Lagos State public schools, including free registration for WAEC/NECO exams, bursary/scholarship allowances and upgrading of schools in the state.
Other areas of pioneering accomplishments are budgetary allocation to the health sector from N1.6 billion in 1999 to N11.8 billion in 2006; Free malaria healthcare scheme for children and old people, reduction in HIV prevalence from 6.7% to 3.5%, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and distribution of N150 million worth of Agricultural inputs to small and medium-scale farmers under the Lagos State Agricultural Micro-credit Scheme.
