KUNLE ODEREMI speaks about the impact of the political movement working under several nomenclatures on 2022 preparations for the 2023 general election, given the amalgamation of their support groups operating under different names.
AFTER ALL, 2022 will be remembered as one of the years when the political landscape in the nation saw a notable and dramatic shift. Major political players have been acting frantically, which has ignited a variety of coinages that have broadened the nation’s political lexicon. The level of preparation for the general election of 2023 has increased due to the increased participation of young people who had previously expressed only a passing interest in the political process in 2022.
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the current governor of Kano State, founded the Kwakwasiyya Movement to usher in a new era. The movement, which used a red cap as a symbol, planned his political orientation. Every time he throws his hat into the ring to lead the nation, the movement’s structure is revitalized and intensified to serve it well. Recently, as he increased his campaign for the country’s next president in 2023 on the platform of the formerly dormant New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Kwankwaso provided insight into the organization’s worldview. “We operate in the Kwankwasiyya movement in a completely different way,” he declared. We think that people should be built. Nobody knows for sure how many people benefited from Kwankwasiyya between 1999 and the present; numbers are only revealed around elections. “We are just re-strategizing and making sure that whoever wins in 2023 gets the seat, and I am confident that that will be Kwankasiyya man,” he declared.
Hurricane Obedient Motion!
As horse-trading began to gather speed in 2022 ahead the 2023 general election, loyalists of a former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi upped the ante of a mass movement. By using a variety of media outlets, they infiltrated the public’s consciousness and presented themselves as supporters of the 61-year-old politician who hopes to become the nation’s fifth president in 2023. Obi unexpectedly obtained the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential ticket for the general election of the next year after tumbling out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he had attempted to select the party’s presidential ticket after running for president in 2019. His supporters eventually evolved into the Obidient Movement, which spread throughout the nation and even outside of Nigeria’s borders like a cyclone. Many thanks to social media, where a large number of young people energized his bid for the prestigious presidency. As his fan base grew, so did the nation’s political gauge, and steps were taken to change the status quo, particularly with regard to godfather politics and gerontocracy. As the Obedient Movement’s efforts gained momentum, it became clear that factors other than those that have traditionally been associated with political involvement, participation, awareness, and outcome will affect the general election of 2023. Fascinated by the progress, Sheikh Gumi, a volatile Islamic cleric residing in Kaduna, advised Obi to continue the campaign he initiated among Nigerian youth after 2023. Gumi urged, “Don’t let the Movement you have started end after the 2023 elections.” The LP candidate stated, “The system they’ve operated over the years has brought us to where we are,” expressing his belief that he represents the shift Nigerians have been longing for—from poverty, decadence, and suffering to boom and prosperity.
Prior to the 2019 elections, there was a lot of talk regarding the necessity of a Third Force in the general election. Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president, attempted to steer the process, which had up until then been the baby of human rights and pro-democracy organizations. The attempt for it to crystalise by adopting the African Democratic congress (ADC) one of the oldest political parties, failed as it crumbled nearly at conception. With Obasanjo unquestionably serving as the alter ego, the Obi phenomenon appears to have resurrected the Third Force agenda. Professor Pat Utomi is another prominent figure in the Third Force movement, which is closely linked to the Obidient Movement. Based on the growing political awareness that the Obi candidacy has generated, Utomi predicted the arrival of a new era. “At the moment, Nigeria’s democracy is failing because to the transaction costs and trade-offs that must be made, which eventually lead to people realizing that power is not the solution to all problems. They lose sight of the goal because there are so many agreements made, such as IOUs, to win elections. As a result, we end up with politics run by politicians for politicians, not a democracy that is run by and for the people, the speaker stated.
Emi Lokan and BAT’s slogan
The diverse campaign strategy employed in 2022 by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu crystallised in the abbreviation, BAT. The initials of the former governor of Lagos State are the source of the coinage. In order to highlight his political philosophies and track record as a former governor and political strategist, his supporters now go by the moniker BATIST. Of course, the apostles of BAT have a common goal when analyzing everything related to the APC ticket, Tinubu’s program, and the decision that will be made by the people in 2023. Ironically, though, his detractors have compared BAT to the flying mammal known as a bat. However, the phrase “Emi lokan,” which the APC candidate advocated during one of his consultations at the APC presidential convention threshold, is the most fascinating addition to the country’s political language that he has made. In an arcane speech to APC stakeholders in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, Tinubu spoke of the great sacrifice he made to clear the path for President Buhari’s election and the attempts of certain elements to keep him from benefiting from his hard work. In an attempt to highlight his ire and perhaps exasperation at the apparent attempt to sabotage his presidential quest for the APC ticket, he had also made fun of a serving governor by calling him “Eleyi.”
Atikulate when in motion
In the run-up to the 2023 elections, it is a coinage of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, and his friends and colleagues. Atikulate represents the political spirit and ideology of the politician from Adamawa State. Numerous Atiku support groups, many of which go back to 1992 when he initially declared his desire in running for president of the nation, are also part of this massive movement. Given that some of its members are leaders of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), which has satellites scattered throughout the six geopolitical zones in the Third Republic that is still in its infancy, it may have the broadest network in terms of distribution among the six geopolitical zones. Following the groupings’ unification under the Atikulate Movement, the members have been utilizing various media outlets, including social media, to disseminate and advertise the information contained in Atiku’s “Covenant with Nigerians,” a comprehensive document outlining his goals and objectives should he be elected president in 2023. Therefore, to be Atikulated, according to his fans, is to fully understand Atiku’s worldview, embrace his values, and declare unwavering support for the PDP candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
Change in dynamics
The various movements’ rise to prominence has affected the elections of 2023 preparations. People’s political consciousness has sharply increased, particularly with regard to their ability to vote and make informed decisions on election day. Along with a renewed dedication to using the voting booth to bring about a constructive change in leadership, women and young people are becoming increasingly interested in the country’s political process. They are said to possess the number, ability, and capability to fundamentally alter the balance of political power in light of demographic changes. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reports that young people made up the majority of individuals who participated in this year’s voter registration drive. With the 2023 elections only a few weeks away, it is becoming increasingly clear that the various movements’ activities have an impact on the politics as 2022 progressively comes to an end. They have developed into the real forums for discussion of the wide range of topics related to the appearance of presidential contenders and their running partners, as well as the platform proposals of the contenders for the elections scheduled for February 25, 2023. It seems that young people are spearheading a comeback and creating connections by means of the initiatives aimed at transforming the nation’s political landscape and cultural norms.
