2022 In Review: How Tinubu, Atiku, Peter Obi, Wike Shape Biggest Political Events
- 2022 is a year that many Nigerians cannot forget in a jiffy because of different political events that happened in the years that preceded the 2023 general election
- From January when Bola Tinubu of the APC first announced his ambition to rule the country at a strategic Aso Rock media chat to December when the campaign was getting strong hits
- Because of the 2023 election in view, 2022 had presented something familiar in an unfamiliar manner such as "Emi Lokan" and many other powerful events
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The political space in Nigeria got tenser in 2022 unlike before. This is due to the expected political change that the country will experience with the 2023 election in view.
Major political parties such as the All Progressive Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) shaped Nigeria politics in 2022.
Source: Twitter
This is due to the activities of their presidential candidates Like Bola Tinubu of the APC, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and their counterpart in the LP, Peter Obi, making some punchlines in the political milieu.
Some of the biggest events are listed below:
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Tinubu declares interest to join the 2023 presidential race in Aso Rock
Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate opened the floor for the biggest political events on Monday, January 10, when he declared his interest to join the 2023 presidential race.
Announcing his interest in the contest is not the big stop but meeting President Muhammadu Buhari and declaring his interest at the presidential villa dominated the media space.
Tinubu refers to Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun, ‘Eleyi’ in Abeokuta
The meeting of the APC presidential candidate with Ogun delegates in Abeokuta, the state capital, is one of the biggest political events that shaped Nigeria’s politics in 2022.
At the event, Nigerians hear from the horse’s mouth on how Yemi Osinbajo, emerged as President Buhari’s running mate in 2023.
Tinubu also talked about how he has been supporting and sponsoring politicians for over 20 years, including Dapo Abiodun, the governor of Osun state, whom he referred to as “eleyi” (This one) and declaring that “emi lokan” (it is my turn). Suggesting that it is time for them to support him as well.
APC N100m tag price for expression of interest and nomination form for presidential candidate
On Wednesday, April 20, the ruling party announced the price of its expression of interest and nomination form for presidential candidates as N100 million at an event attended by President Buhari.
The announcement shocked many Nigerians and was greeted with criticism. However, political pundits have said that the APC forms have always been the highest since its emergence in 2015.
APC Special Convention and Presidential Primary
The special convention of the ruling party and its presidential primary election is one political event in 2022 that looked like a general election as many Nigerians are awake and eager to see the final result.
One of the striking moments in the event is the viral video of an old woman, Alhaja Shifau Ayinla Alanamu, who stayed awake all night, doing tasbih (a form of Islamic prayer) for Tinubu to emerge as the APC candidate.
Although it appeared that the granddaughter of Alanamu posted the video on social media to laugh at the grandma but it turned out to be a blessing as she was one of the people the APC candidate met after clinching the party’s ticket.
PDP presidential primaries
The presidential primary of the leading opposition, PDP, has been another political event in 2022 that dominated the country’s political space.
The aftermath of the primary has polarized the party, made its national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, the most controversial politician in 2023 while Nyesom Wike and 4 other governors have vowed not to support Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate until Ayu resigns.
Wike’s media chart
One of the biggest political events in 2022 is Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike’s media chat in September, where he talked about how Ayu worked against him during the PDP primary and made some corruption allegations against the PDP chairman.
The media chat, which lasted for over an hour, became a significant event as it shed more light on why some governors of the PDP have declined to support Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate.
Peter Obi joins Labour Party (LP)
In his quest to achieve his presidential ambition, Peter Obi, a former vice presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 election, left the leading opposition to join the Labour Party, and this made a statement in Nigerian politics.
Although Labour Party is criticised to be a party without structure, Obi’s emergence as its presidential candidate has made the party the third force Nigerians seem to be yearning for.
Kwankwaso formed NNPP
The formation of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) by the former governor of Kano state, Rabiu Kwankwaso is another political event that cannot be overruled in the 2023 political events.
Kwankwaso is a two-term governor and a minister under the PDP, but like Peter Obi and others who could not secure the party’s presidential ticket, have left the leading opposition.
AriseTV Town Hall Meeting
One of the political events that shaped 2022 in Nigeria is the AriseTV presidential town hall meeting, where presidential candidates and their allies met and practically attack each other.
Although APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and his counterpart in the PDP, Atiku Abubakar were absent at the first series of the town hall meeting, Kwankwaso, Obi, and Atiku’s running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, were present.
The confrontation between Obi and Senator Dino Melaye, a member of the PDP team at the meeting as well as Okowa’s shutting up LP and NNPP candidates because they were members of PDP before leaving the party because of their presidential aspirations cannot be overlooked.
Ekiti and Osun election
The governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states are significant political events in 2023 that presented a template for the 2023 election in Nigeria.
While the APC retain Ekiti in the election, it lost to PDP in Osun. The two states' elections have been adjudged to be free and fair.
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