Nigeria as an entity is a country in West Africa with a population of over 200 million people. A country that practices the democratical system of government, following the legacy of her colonial master the British. The President of Nigeria is an elected candidate of a registered and known party for a four-year term. Election in Nigeria is conducted every four years where the fate and destiny of Nigerians are measured and determined. The next presidential election will be held on Feb. 26, 2023.
There are several candidates from various political parties who are vying for the presidency. It is pathetic to realise that adults, who are older than “Nigeria’s age”, are the runners for the seat of power in a country where, “NOT TO YOUNG TO RUN ”; a bill that allows and/or permits the youths to have access to the seat of power and authority in becoming the number one citizen of the country, is proposed and passed into law. Analysing these candidates on a list gives us a general idea of how the political landscape is and the different challenges and assumptions about the politics of Nigeria. For starters, of the 18 candidates for president, there is only one female —Princess Ojei, of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).
1. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): Atiku Abubakar (75 Years)
A politician and businessman who served as the vice president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo. He ran as governor of Adamawa State in 1990, 1996 and later, in 1998, being elected before becoming Olusegun Obasanjo’s running mate during the 1999 presidential election and being re-elected in 2003. In May 2022, he was chosen as the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate for the 2023 general election after he defeated Nyesom Wike who is the current Governor of Rivers State in the primaries.
2. All Progressives Congress (APC): Bola Tinubu (70 Years)
He is a Nigerian accountant and politician who served as the Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and Senator for Lagos West during the brief Third Republic in Nigeria. In June 2022, he was chosen as the All Progressives Congress nominee in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election
3. Action Democratic Party (ADP): Yabagi Sani (68 Years)
He is a Nigerian politician, Energy and Crude oil expert and is the current National Chairman of The Action Democratic Party (ADP). He was a presidential candidate in the 2019 Nigerian general election and the current president of the same party.
4. All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA): Peter Umeadi (67 Years)
Peter is from Anambra state, Nigeria. He is a politician and has successfully won the APGA Primary Election for the 2023 presidential election, he was the former Chief Judge of Anambra State Judiciary. Following his retirement as the state’s Chief Judge in March 2019, Umeadi, a Professor of Law at the University of Nigeria, joined the party in his Nri Ward II in Anaocha, Anambra.
5. New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP): Rabiu Kwankwaso (66 Years)
He is a Nigerian politician who was the Governor of Kano state from 1999-2003 and from 2011 to 2015. After he lost his re-election in 2003, he was appointed the first Minister of Defence of the Fourth Republic with no prior military background from 2003 to 2007, under the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. He was later elected to the Senate in 2015, serving one term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing the Kano Central Senatorial District. He is currently the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has been confirmed as the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the 2023 general elections.
6. Zenith Labour Party (ZLP): Dan Nwanyanwu (62 Years)
He is a Nigerian politician, businessman and lawyer who was chairman of the Labour Party (LP) from 2004 until 2014.
7. Action Alliance (AA): Hamza Al-Mustapha (62 Years)
He is a former Nigerian Army major and intelligence officer who served as Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha, who was Nigeria’s military head of state from 1993 until his sudden death on June 8, 1998.
8. Labour Party (LP): Peter Obi (61 Years)
He is a Nigerian businessman and politician who served as governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to May 2007, and June 2007 to March 2014. In May 2022, he became the Labour Party nominee for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election, after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party. In 2022, Obi ran for president himself, first in the PDP until defecting to the LP in May 2022 to obtain its nomination. Obi’s presidential campaign has been described as populist and has been noted for its support among many young Nigerians, who have been nicknamed “Obidients”.
9. Peoples Redemption Party (PRP): Abiola lafitu kolawole (60 Years)
Kola Abiola is an entrepreneur with extensive experience in the energy, banking, aviation and agricultural sectors in Nigeria. Kola has vast experience in successfully growing businesses in Nigeria. Kola is the Presidential Candidate for the People’s Redemption Party (PRP).
10. Young Progressive Party (YPP): Malik Ado-Ibrahim (58 Years)
Malik Ado Ibrahim is a Nigerian-born billionaire businessman and Politician who is a Kogi Prince and the founder of Bicernergy. Prince Malik Ado Ibrahim has tremendous international exposure in private and governmental business and hands-on involvement in generating International finance packages. He has a Comprehensive knowledge of international affairs and Conventional and renewable energy.
The two oldest candidates are also the candidates of the more established parties—Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress at (70) and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party at (75).
Below is a full list of Nigeria Presidential candidates with their respective ages:
1. Accord (A): Christopher Imumolen-39 Years
2. Action Alliance (AA): Hamza Al-Mustapha-62 Years
3. Action Democratic Party (ADP): Yabagi Sani-68 Years
4. Action Peoples Party (APP): Osita Nnadi-49 Years
5. African Action Congress (AAC): Omoyele Sowore-51 Years
6. African Democratic Congress (ADC): Dumebi Kachikwu-48 Years
7. All Progressives Congress (APC): Bola Tinubu-70 Years
8. All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA): Peter Umeadi-67 Years
9. Allied Peoples Movement (APM): Princess Ojei-44 Years
10. Boot Party (BP): Sunday Adenuga (48 Years)
11. Labour Party (LP): Peter Obi (61 Years)
12. National Rescue Movement (NRM): Felix Osakwe (57 Years)
13. New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP): Rabiu Kwankwaso (66 Years)
14. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): Atiku Abubakar (75 Years)
15. Peoples Redemption Party (PRP): Abiola Lafitu Kolawole (60 Years)
16. Social Democratic Party (SDP): Adewole Adebayo (50 Years)
17. Young Progressive Party (YPP): Malik Ado-Ibrahim (58 Years)
18. Zenith Labour Party (ZLP): Dan Nwanyanwu (62 Years)
There is also a clear age slant towards older candidates. The previous minimum age requirement for presidential candidates was (40), but it has now been reduced to (35).
Notably, Chris Inumolen of the Accord Party is the youngest candidate in the race—aged (38). He is also the only candidate who benefits from the recently passed “NOT TOO YOUNG TO RUN BILL” since he would have been disqualified under the previous age requirement (40). Interestingly, thirteen candidates are younger than the Nigerian civil service retirement age of 65—ranging from the earlier mentioned 39 to Dan Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party at 62.
The contest for the seat of the Nigerian Presidency is an unrelenting one, as candidates prepare for the Presidential seat and INEC, a body in charge of the conduct of the election and its success, is ready to kick start the election Which will be held on Feb. 26, 2023.
