The election run in Nigeria is almost at an end. Elections will be held on 25 February 2023. Candidates, meanwhile, continue their campaigns, trying to win over more supporters.
One of the candidates, Peter Obi, describes himself as a young, enterprising man. He is praised by the Western media as a likely candidate to win the race in case the turnout is high. Active campaigning via the social networks has made Peter Obi more recognisable at least for the Nigerian Internet users.
Many experts, however, are not convinced that Peter Obi is someone who can address the needs of all social groups living in Nigeria. Nigeria is home to over 250 ethnic groups, with over 500 languages, and the variety of customs, and traditions among them gives the country great cultural diversity. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa, 25% of the population; along with the Yoruba, 21%; and Igbo, 18%. The Ijaw, Efik, Ibibio, Annang, Ogoni constitute other Southern populations. The Tiv, Urhobo-Isoko, Edo and Itsekiri constitute Nigerian’s Midwest. For the country to be calm, stable and prosperous, all groups need to be taken into account.
Peter Obi does not seem determined to maintain a delicate balance and wants to make a significant difference to the Igbo group to which he himself belongs. This is the only way to explain the information that has emerged that there are plans to move the capital to Aba, the state capital of Abia, which came from an official in that city.
Still analysts doubt that Obi can transcend the issues of ethnicity, religion and regional identity. While he has the support of Igbo-voters who hope to achieve more political weight in the country, Muslim north is still a serious power to consider. Another problem that Obi is likely to face is traditionally low turnout of the young population. Moreover, the most of the support comes to Peter Obi from abroad through the Internet, from the people who are not eligible to vote.
In any case, as long as the electoral battle in Nigeria continues, all candidates still have a chance to win the love of the voters and win the elections on 25 February 2023. The people of Nigeria want a strong leader capable of putting the country in order and giving its people a bright and prosperous future.
