New Telegraph

2023: New kids on the block

WALE ELEGBEDE and ANAYO EZEGWU report on the emergence of individuals without political experience as governorship candidates of their respective political parties in the ongoing primary elections to nominate flagbearers for the 2023 general elections

 

Cole, Jandor, Radda, others confront old order

There is no disputing the fact that the pleasure of governing is exquisite, which explains the vast number of people always eager to be concerned with it.

 

This is playing out at the moment given the array of personalities, who would be contesting the various elective positions in the forthcoming general election in 2023.

 

While several established political gladiators have emerged from the ongoing primary elections of the various political parties, some political neophytes have equally picked tickets, perhaps, to challenge the old order. However, the emergence of these individuals without political experience may have links with a growing unhappiness with established politicians, which seems to be driving the force of youthful energy across the world.

 

Some countries have witnessed the emergence of youthful leaders without political experience of recent, which apparently explains why most Nigerians are feeling that new approaches are needed for the myriads of problems the country is facing at the moment. Against this backdrop, less emphasis is being put on age and experience ahead of the 2023 elections.

 

However, the question many have asked against this development is: What could have influenced the interest of non-politicians in the electoral process? The answer may not be farfetched as the advent of the social media has changed the dynamics of politics by making it less predictable.

 

However, while the emergence of youthful figures in positions of power gives hope to the younger generation, who may have seen politics as a “no-go area,” it still remains to be seen how far the “new kids on the block” will go in the 2023 polls in their bid to cause a break from the past Tonye Patrick Cole (Rivers APC)

 

For 55-year-old Tonye Patrick Cole, it is a dream come through making his first foray into politics after pioneering many firsts in the corporate world, especially in the oil and gas sector.

 

The unassuming businessman, who is an ally of former Minister Rotimi Amaechi, was elected as Rivers APC governorship candidate for the 2023 election, after narrowly losing out on the same position four years ago due to the high-wired intrigues within the party.

 

But this time, he emerged as the candidate after defeating three other aspirants at the primary polling 986 votes to defeat Ojukaye Flag Amachree, Seconte Davies, Ibinabo West, and Bernard Mikko, who scored 190, 47, 43 and 2 to come a distant second, third and fourth respectively.

 

With the emergence of former Rivers State Accountant General, Fubara Siminialayi, as PDP governorship candidate, Cole, surely has his hands full to take over the Rivers Government House in Port Harcourt.

 

He is the son of the former managing director of the Daily Times Newspaper and former Ambassador of Nigeria to Brazil Patrick Dele Cole. He is married to Dr. Sylvia Cole and blessed with three adult children.

 

The co-founder and former Group Executive Director of Sahara Group is an ordained minister of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and leader of Team Nehemiah.

 

Mustapha Lamido (Jigawa PDP)

 

Mustapha Sule Lamido is having the time of his life, politically after making his first major breakthrough into the politics of his Jigawa State. The young politician, who is the son of the former governor of the state, Sule Lamido, was elected as Jigawa PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 general election.

 

A graduate of Political science from the University, of Abuja, Mustapha Sule Lamido holds a PhD via Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Lamido emerged as the candidate after defeating one other aspirant at the primary polling 829 out of the 832 votes cast to win the primaries. While his challenger, Alhaji Saleh Shehu scored zero vote.

 

With the emergence of the incumbent deputy governor, Umar Namadi, as APC governorship candidate, Lamido needs to surely prove that he has the political acceptance to challenge the ruling party in the state. But he has expressed his determination to contribute his quota in rescuing Jigawa State from its current economic and social quagmire.

 

Olajide Adediran (Lagos PDP)

 

Since his defection to PDP in December last year, 44-year-old Dr. Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has maintained his determination to challenge the status quo in Lagos State, and his emergence as the candidate of the PDP was not much of a surprise to many.

 

Jandor, a businessman, who is the lead visioner of the Lagos4Lagos Movement, a political movement with cult followership in the state, was elected as Lagos PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 election.

 

Adediran emerged as the candidate after polling 679 votes to defeat his challenger at the primary, Dakova David Kolawole, who scored 20 votes. With the emergence of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as APC governorship candidate, Adediran, surely has his hands full to take over the Lagos Government House in Alausa.

 

Jandor has maintained that PDP has been doing between 30 per cent and 34 per cent in every election in the state and that his defection would give the party the desired push needed to cross the threshold in order to win the state in 2023.

 

An alumnus of several institutions of learning, including The Polytechnic Ibadan; Modul University, Vienna; the Prestigious Howard University School of Business, Washington DC, USA; and Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom, Jandor is a journalist, serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and technocrat.

 

 

Ikechi Emenike (Abia APC)

 

The emergence of the Chief Ikechi Emenike, a development economist and publisher, as the governorship candidate of APC in Abia State sent political shock waves across the God’s Own State.

 

Emenike defeated five other aspirants to clinch the governorship ticket of the party. This mandate has placed him in the position to lead his party in the forthcoming battle with the ruling PDP in the 2023 gubernatorial poll. The chairman of the governing council of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, polled a total number of 672 votes to defeat his closet rival Emeka Atuma who scored 159 votes.

 

Other aspirants in the primary election included the immediate past Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Uche Ogah, who got 6 votes, Daniel Eke who got 16 votes, and Paul Ikonne who polled 22 votes. It has been the long dream of the veteran journalist and publisher to govern Abia State.

 

Since 2003, he has participated in every governorship primary in the state, first as a PDP aspirant in 2007 and 2011, and as an APC member in 2015 and 2019 but unable to succeed.

 

Like in his previous experience where he always faces unforeseen forces, Emenike is faced with another hurdle in court on a recent ruling disqualifying his candidacy. The court restrained Emenike from parading himself as a legitimate member of the APC. Before facing the ruling party in the state, Emenike would have to revalidate his candidacy.

 

Prof Uchenna Ikonne (Abia PDP)

 

For Professor Uchenna Ikonne, it is a dream come through making his first foray into politics after successful adventure in the academia, especially at the management level.

 

The professor of Optometry, who is an ally of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, was elected as Abia PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 general election, after the deputy governor of the state, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu; Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Senator Emma Nwaka had withdrawn from the race. Ikonne emerged as the candidate after defeating two other candidates at the primary polling 468 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mayor Lucky Igbokwe who polled 45 votes, while Mrs. Ezenwanyi Jonah got five  votes.

 

 

With the emergence of chairman of the governing council of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ikechi Emenike and former minister of state for mines and steel development, Uche Ogah, in APC, Ikonne surely has his hands full to take over as the next governor of Abia State.

 

He is a professor of optometry and the former vice-chancellor of the Abia State University. He previously served as the Rector of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba.

 

Dr Nentanwe Yilwatda (Plateau APC)

If you think of an umpire changing his garb to become a player in the same game he once officiated, then Dr Nentanwe Yilwatda, the Plateau State APC governorship candidate for the 2023 general elections perfectly fits the description. The former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benue State polled a total of 803 votes to beat other aspirants who participated in the primary elections.

 

Other aspirants who participated in the election are Garba Pwul SAN scored two votes, Deputy Governor of Plateau State Prof. Sonny Tyoden 25 votes and Hon. Victor David Dimka scored 7 Votes respectively. Yilwatda is a digital system and energy engineering expert, a community developer and a lecturer with Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.

 

He may be a new comer in Plateau politics but he is known for his grassroots mobilization. As an INEC commissioner, he championed the IDP voting rights and was a member of the committee that developed the operational framework and guidelines for IDP voting in Nigeria.

 

He spearheaded working with international partners and civil society organizations to innovatively set up schools for IDP kids and empowered women with skills that metamorphosed into a cooperative to reduce poverty in the camps.

 

He worked with the office of the United Nations Representative to West Africa and the Sahel in Senegal and other partners to hold 66 town hall meetings to negotiate peace with critical political actors in Benue state which led to the first ever peaceful election since 1999.

 

Dr Dikko Radda (Katsina APC)

 

For 53-year-old Dikko Umar Radda, it is a dream come through making his first major move into politics after succeeding in the business world.

 

The Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), who is an ally of Governor Aminu Bello Masari of the state, was elected as Katsina APC governorship candidate for the 2023 general election.

 

Radda emerged as the candidate after defeating seven other candidates at the primary polling 506 votes to defeat Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, Abbas Masanawa, Ahmed Dangiwa, Faruk Lawal Jobe, QS Mannir Yakubu, the state Deputy Governor, Senator Sadiq Yar’Adua, Umar Tata and Abdulkarim Dauda, who scored 442, 436, 220, 71, 65, 32, 8 and 7 respectively.

 

With the emergence of Senator Garba Yakubu Lado as PDP governorship candidate, Radda would be banking on the support of the governor to win the state. Radda possesses extensive working experience having served as the Chief of Staff to Governor Masari, worked as a classroom teacher, and also worked as a Banker with the defunct FSB International Bank.

Dr Nasir Idris (Kebbi APC)

 

If Dr Nasir Idris wins Kebbi governorship election next year, then comrades, teachers and activists will have a relatively easy passage and access to the Government House.

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Deputy President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), who emerged as the governorship candidate of the APC in Kebbi, has proven that he is very popular in the state. Idris garnered 1055 votes to defeat two other contestants, Senate Majority Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi who scored zero votes and retired Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Abubakar Mallam, who secured 35 votes.

 

The NUT president is known by Kebbi people as a philanthropist and human relations czar. He was one time quoted to have said that he has not declared any intent but awaits the people of Kebbi to assign him for whatever job they feel he can offer. Idris used the instrumentality of his position to improve the living condition of teachers, especially in the state by ensuring that he fights for their cause to succeed in the area of welfare.

 

He ensured that Nigerian teachers at all levels are better off than in the past when payments of salaries and wages are being owed. And his emergence has also altered the clamour for power to return to the southern senatorial district of the state, meaning that power would remain in the Central zone until 2027 if he wins the general elections.

Muhammad Abacha (Kano PDP)

 

For Muhammad Abacha, son of former military leader, Sani Abacha, it is a dream that comes through for him to step out of his father’s shadow. Abacha, who emerged as governorship candidate of the PDP for the 2023 general elections, polled736 votes to defeat his closest rival, Jafar Sani-Bello, who scored 710 votes in the primary election.

 

He would have to battle it out with the deputy governor of the state, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, who is the candidate of APC and an ally of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. Abacha would have to convince the people of Kano that he would not embezzle public funds or convert the state to a private empire if elected governor in 2023.

 

Sadique Abubakar (Bauchi APC)

For 62-year-old Sadique Baba Abubakar, it’s a fresh foray into politics after retiring as the Air Marshal in the Nigerian Air Force and Chief of Air Staff.

 

The retired military officer, who is an ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, was elected as Bauchi APC governorship candidate for the 2023 general election, after serving as one of the service chiefs between July 13, 2015 to January 26, 2021 as a the Chief of Air Staff. Abubakar emerged as the candidate after defeating six other aspirants at the primary polling 370 votes to Senator Haliru Jika with 278 votes while a former commissioner for finance in the state, Nura Manu Soro, came third with 269 votes.

 

Other aspirants are a former Executive Chairman, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Dr. Musa Babayo, with 70 votes; a former Member, House of Representatives representing Azare Federal Constituency, Faruk Mustapha, got 26; former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Mahmood Maijama’a, got 8 votes; while a former Minister of State for Health, Prof. Ali Pate got zero votes. With his emergence, Abubakar would face the incumbent Govenor of the State, Bala Mohammed of PDP in order to achieve his dream of governing the state.

Muhammad Jibrin Barde (Gombe PDP)

 

For Muhammad Barde, it is a dream to emerge as the governorship candidate of PDP for the 2023 general elections.

The former Managing Director of Sun Trust Bank emerged as the flagbearer of the main opposition party in the state after scoring 160 out of the total votes cast to defeat his closest rival who polled 119 votes. Barde was the first runner-up in 2018 during the All Progressives Congress primary, where he was defeated by the incumbent Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, but defected to the PDP in 2021.

 

He doesn’t see himself as a politician, but he realised that to make significant impacts in the lives of Gombe people, he needs political power. He is an accomplished banker and a businessman. He is a goal-getter, ambitious, daring but not a desperate man. Barde has a rich experience in banking and management having previously held positions in Union Bank of Nigeria and Citigroup N.A and Barclays Bank in four countries across Africa and Europe.

 

He has served on various boards, and was at a time, the National Deputy  President of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Nigeria; a director of Premium Pensions Limited; Director, Federal Housing Authority Technical Board and a member of the Presidential Committee on Affordable Housing.

 

Also, Barde served as the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Gombe Jewel Microfinance Bank Limited. He left SunTrust Bank as the Chief Executive Officer to pursue his political dream of liberating Gombe people from the shackles of poverty and under-development.

 

Alhaji Mohammed Ali Jajari (Borno PDP)

 

In Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Jajari has emerged as the governorship candidate of PDP for the 2023 general election. Hepolled487votestodefeatMohammed Imam who polled 362 in the primary election, and was the PDP governorship candidate in the 2019 general elections.

 

Jajari is in his 40’s and is a director of Pami Infrastructures Limited, with a registered office in Abuja. He also runs a foundation for philanthropy. With his emergence, he would face the incumbent Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum of the APC.

 

Aminu Muhammad Bande (Kebbi PDP)

 

In Kebbi State, General Aminu Bande (rtd) has been elected as the governorship candidate of the PDP for the 2023 general elections. He polled 471 votes out of the 696 votes cast by the delegates.

 

Bande, a retired Army General won the party primary after defeating four other aspirants in the party’s primary election held in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday night. He defeated four other aspirants at the primaryheldatEventCenter,Gwandagbaji Area,Birnin Kebbi. Other Aspirants are Alhaji Ibrahim Manga who polled 121votes, Alhaji Buhari Bala pulled 43 votes, former Sports Minister, Alhaji Samaila Sambawa polled 41votes while the fifth aspirant, Alhaji Haruna Ibrahim polled 22 votes.

 

Dauda Lawal (Zamfara PDP)

For 57-year-old Dauda Lawal, it is a dream come through making his first major move into politics after successful career in the corporate world, especially in the banking sector. The former executive director of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, was elected as Zamfara PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 election, after other major aspirants withdrew from the race.

 

Lawal emerged as the candidate after defeating three other aspirants at the primary polling 431 votes to win the ticket. Other aspirants, Dr Ibrahim Shehu scored five votes to emerge second while Alhaji Wadatau Madawaki placed third with three votes.

Lawal is a banker and a key player in the financial sector of the economy as he served in different portfolios across the sector. Uche Nnaji (Enugu APC) Chief UchennaNnaji, akaNwakaibeya, has emerged the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Enugu state ahead of the 2023 general elections.

 

He polled a total of 1070 votes in the party’s governorship primary out of the 1300 elected state delegates drawn from the 260 wards in the state. Nnaji, who is a businessman, hails from Akpugo, in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. He was the sole contestant during the primary election.

Read Previous

Terrorists have withdrawn threat to kill train passengers, says Gumi’s spokesman

Read Next

Nigeria’s mobile Internet users to hit 59.7% by 2026

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *