The 2023 presidential election is 13 months away and some politicians have already been mooted to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
15 politicians who want to take Buhari’s job. (ICIRnigeria)
15 politicians who want to take Buhari’s job. (ICIRnigeria)
Campaigns for the 2023 presidential election have now been set in motion. The drumbeat is getting louder as many politicians have already thrown their hats in the ring.
While political parties are still planning and weighing their options ahead of the elections, campaign posters of some presidential hopefuls have started littering the country already.
Those whose posters and billboards are yet to be seen anywhere have been giving us hints about their intentions to run for the highest political office in the country.
In no particular order, here is a list of 15 politicians that are positioning themselves to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
It’s been speculated that the familiar face of the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar may be on campaign billboards and posters again for the 2023 presidency.
The Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not new to the game, as he has unsuccessfully contested for president five times.
The next election provides the ex-VP with yet another chance, and if he eventually announces his interest in the race, Atiku will certainly give it his all.
Bukola Saraki
Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki.
Former President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki is one of the high-profile politicians who did not hesitate to make his intention known about 2023.
In November 2021, Saraki announced his intention to contest the presidency to PDP members in Benue State.
According to Governor Samuel Ortom, Saraki is the first politician from the North Central region to indicate interest in the presidency.
Bala Mohammed
Governor Bala Mohammed (Signal)
It’s been reported that Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State is among the governors being considered for president in the PDP.
In July 2021, the governor said members of the party in his state have cleared him to contest in 2023.
The governor has also spoken about his endorsement by various groups. This goes to say the governor is ready for the race to Aso Rock.
Aminu Tambuwal
Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal [Sokoto State Government]
If there’s any PDP governor who has narratively been pushed to be PDP’s flagbearer in the upcoming election, it is Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.
It’s been rumoured that some PDP governors are working to hijack the party structure and they want Tambuwal to emerge as the party’s candidate in the next election.
Although the 56-yr-old former Speaker of the House of Reps is reportedly still consulting, what is clear as day is that the governor is low-key prepping himself for the office of the president.
Goodluck Jonathan
Former President, Goodluck Jonathan (Thisday)
Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly been wooed by some politicians to return to Aso Rock for another tenure of four years after which power is expected to return to the north.
Jonathan hasn’t said anything about his rumoured return, but if the political calculations and machinations of the agenda sail through, the ex-president might fly another party’s flag come February 2023.
Until then…
Anyim Pius Anyim
The former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim has been very vocal about his ambition.
The former lawmaker who represented Ebonyi South in the fourth senate believes the 2023 presidency should be zoned to the Southeast geopolitical region to assuage the demands of the people of the region.
While declaring to run in October 2021, the chieftain of the PDP said he would contest for president whether his party zones its slot to the southeast or not.
Bola Tinubu
Bola Tinubu (Guardian)
It is now crystal clear that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is interested in succeeding President Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu officially threw his hat in the ring on Monday, January 10, 2022, when he told journalists that he has informed Buhari about his intention.
For the former Governor of Lagos State, the 2023 presidential race has started in earnest.
Prof Yemi Osinbajo
Vice President Osinbajo (Tolani Alli)
In October 2021, campaign posters of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo surfaced in Ibadan.
The posters, with ‘Osinbajo for All 2023’ boldly written on them were pasted at some strategic areas in the capital of the old western region.
There have also been online campaigns asking the VP to join the presidential race, but the VP is yet to give his nod to the calls.
Kayode Fayemi
Ekiti state Governor, Kayode Fayemi. [Twitter@KFayemi]
Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi has not declared his intention to run, but there have been reports that he is nursing a presidential ambition.
The governor in a recent statement said that there was a plan by ‘some entrenched interests within the APC’ to de-market him ahead of the 2023 elections.
However, while Fayemi is probably still reading the room, a paramount ruler in his state, the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi recently backed the governor’s yet-to-be-announced ambition.
Yahaya Bello
Gov Yahaya Bello (RipplesNigeria)
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State made his intention to contest known two years before the election.
Bello has told Nigerians how groups, youths, and people of his state are putting pressure on him to run for president.
Already, there are campaign billboards of the governor in Lagos and Abuja. Bello seems ready to give all presidential aspirants in his party a run for their money.
Dele Momodu
Dele Momodu
Again, the publisher of Ovation Magazine and The Boss Newspaper, Dele Momodu has offered to lead the country.
The presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP) in the 2011 presidential election declared to run for president again on Monday, January 10, 2022.
The veteran publisher rejoined the PDP in October 2021, and he is ready to vie for the party’s presidential ticket in the upcoming elections.
Kingsley Moghalu
Kingsley Moghalu [Twitter/@MoghaluKingsley]
The presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the 2019 general election, Kingsley Moghalu manages to remain politically relevant since he lost his first presidential race.
Having dumped the YPP for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in October 2021, the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is ready to join the race again in 2023.
Moghalu has already restated his interest to lead the country to make Nigeria ‘the envy of other nations.’
Orji Kalu
Orji Uzor Kalu
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu has declared himself as the most prepared presidential candidate in Nigeria.
Despite his campaign posters surfacing in major cities, the former Governor of Abia State recently said he has not made up his mind to contest.
Kalu believes the southeast is ripe for the presidency, but it seems the politician would only contest if the ruling APC zones its presidential ticket to the region.
Dave Umahi
Ebonyi state Governor Dave Umahi [Oriental Times]
Barely 24 hours after Bola Tinubu met President Muhammadu Buhari and announced his intention to run, Governor Dave Umahi of Enugu State took the same step. He met the president and declared his intention to join the race.
Umahi who dumped the PDP for the ruling APC in November 2020 will have to wrestle the party’s presidential ticket with other politicians eyeing the seat of the president.
Doyin Okupe
Doyin Okupe [Punch]
Two months after advocating for southern presidency, former Presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe formally declared his intention to vie for the office of the president in 2023.
Okupe believes he knows, the requisite national political experience, intellectual capacity, and wisdom to halt the social and economic decadence, insecurity, and pervasive poverty that has nearly made living meaningless in Nigeria.
The 69-yr-old politician declared his intention on the platform of the PDP.
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