Buhari, 12 others battle for Jonathan’s seat
At last, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the list of presidential candidates for the February 14, 2015 presidential election. In the list are notable names and “new breeds”. Fourteen names were listed to fly the flag of 14 of the 24 registered political parties that fielded candidates for the presidential election. Dr. Comfort Oluremi Sonaiya of the KOWA Party is the only female presidential candidate in the male-dominated contest. Apart from President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), almost all the other presidential candidates are running for the presidency for the first time. In this piece, ONYEKACHI EZE and JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM profile some of the candidates and their chances
Goodluck Jonathan (PDP)
Born on November 20, 1957 in Otueke in the present Bayelsa State, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan studied Zoology at the University of Port Harcourt up to PhD level. He joined the Rivers State civil service as an education inspector. Jonathan joined partisan politics in 1998 when he ran as running mate to the Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. He was later to succeed him in 2005 following Alamieyeseigha’s impeachment.
The PDP presidential candidate is a child of circumstance. Like the proverbial child in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” whose palm carnal is cracked by benevolent spirit, Jonathan became Nigeria’s vice president in 2007. Again, he succeeded his boss, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, first as acting president and later as substantive president following the prolong hospitalisation of Yar’Adua and subsequent death. He contested the 2011 presidential election and won.
By all calculation, PDP has the capacity to win the election. It has been in power since the return of democratic rule in the country in 1999. This is the second competitive election Jonathan is contesting. The first was in 2011. In the previous positions he assumed, the PDP presidential candidate simply completed the tenure of the incumbent. He has the experience to win the election and his antecedents proves that he is “electable”. His chances are bright. The only snags are the nation’s present precarious economy and its security situation. So far, his campaign train is moving round the country. The campaign train has completed tour of several geopolitical zones.
Muhammadu Buhari
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari, was born in 1942 in Daura, Katsina State. He attended Daura Primary School, Daura and the Provincial College, Katsina, Katsina State. Buhari joined the Nigeria Army in 1962 and served in different capacities at different times.
He was the Head of State and leader of a military junta that toppled the democratically elected civilian administration of President Shehu Shagari in 1983. His regime was however overthrown in 1985 by another military junta led by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. Before his brief stay in power, he served as governor of the North-Eastern State during the regime of the late General Murtala Mohammed, and later became the Federal Commissioner (minister) for Petroleum and Natural Resources under the regime of the then Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1976. He has contested the presidential election a record three times.
He was the presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in 2003 and 2007. In 2011, Buhari contested the presidential election on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and in each of these attempts, he lost to the ruling PDP. He is currently in the race for the February 14 presidential poll, but his candidature has suffered some setbacks due to controversies surrounding his academic qualification.
His non-submission of his West Africa School Certificate (WASC) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has led to a lot of criticisms and series of litigations. In addition, Buhari has come under attack on allegations of insincerity and lack of integrity. After he lost the 2011 presidential election, Buhari had told the world that he would not contest the presidential election again, but has returned to the same race. In defence, he said he came back to the race because the Nigerian situation has refused to change, and that he owed the country a duty to bring the needed change.
Buhari is admired by many for his uprightness and stand against corruption during his days as military ruler. His then government was roundly applauded for reducing inflation and refusing to devalue the nation’s currency, the Nigerian naira. Buhari, who says he symbolises change is contesting the February 14 presidential election on a strong political platform, which enjoys great followership in the North and South-West. His success will however depend on how well he and his party are able to break the stigma against him in the Southern region where he is largely regarded as a religious bigot, a semi-literate and a brute dictator who cares little about the diversities in Nigeria.
Kevin Chinedu Allagoa (PPN)
The Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) presidential candidate is one of the new entrants into the presidential race. Not much is known about him politically before he joined the presidential race. Allagoa, a native of Aba in Abia State, was born in 1968.
A businessman, he spent all his youthful age in Port Harcourt, Rivers State where he obtained his primary, post primary and university qualifications before moving to Tombi, Nembe in Bayelsa State to establish his business. Allagoa and his party are relatively new in Nigerian politics. He is not known to have contested any political office before now, neither has he held any political office, appointive or elective. The chance of him winning the presidency is therefore slim. Apart from being listed as a presidential candidate by INEC, nothing has been heard of the PPN presidential campaign.
Godson Okoye (UDP)
Okoye is the presidential candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP). Born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 1963, Okoye, a legal practitioner, schooled in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State and in Port Harcourt. He was also at University of Lagos where he obtained his LLB (Hon) in 1987, and the Nigeria Law School in Victoria Island also in Lagos. He practised law for a while before he secured a political appointment in 2002 in the office of the President of the Senate between 2002 and 2004 before returning to legal practice again.
His present political sojourn is the only known political contest he has undertaken. And his experience in politics is limited to the two years he spent in the office of the president of the Senate as an appointee. On the other hand, the UDP on which platform he is seeking to be president of Nigeria is relatively an unknown party. UDP has not produced any candidate since its formation. To make matter worse, neither the candidate nor the party has embarked on any political campaign to woo the electorate.
Chekwas Okorie (UPP)
Chief Chekwas Okorie is the national chairman and presidential candidate of the United Progressives Party (UPP). He is not new in the Nigerian politics but is new in the presidential contest. A PhD holder and a philanthropist, Okorie came to political limelight when he registered the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2002.
From nothing, the UPP presidential candidate funded APGA and made it a national party. APGA contested the presidential elections in 2003 and 2007. Following the problem he had with some chieftains in APGA, Okorie left the party and attempted to register the United Peoples Grand Alliance (UPGA) with his associates. This was rejected by INEC. Undaunted, Chekwas re-applied to INEC with the name of another party, the United Progressives Party, which was registered on October 2, 2012. Before the ban on political activities was lifted, Okorie was aggressive in his public enlightenment about the party. He was targeting electorate from the South East.
Not much has been heard of UPP since the ban of political activities was lifted. Okorie may be doing subtle campaign, but people only got to know about his presidential ambition on INEC website and pages of newspapers. He is yet to publicly launch his presidential campaign to convince Nigerians why he wants to be their president.
Tunde Anifowose-Kelani (AA)
Little is known about Anifowose except that he served as Senator of the Federal Republic. A rotarian, the Action Alliance presidential candidate in 2011 protested the omission of his party’s logo by INEC during the Oyo gubernatorial election. Though the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) won the Oyo governorship, members of AA were appointed into executive and board positions. Anifowose has been consistence since he joined AA, he is not one of the politicians who jump from one party to the other in search for greener pasture.
He has already launched his presidential campaign on the website where he is promising youth employment and development. But how far this could help him to win the presidency remains a puzzle. The AA candidate is looking for a miracle that will take him there. He has nominated Ishaka Paul as his running mate but like him, he has not paid his dues in Nigerian politics. Also the platform is not popular.
Remi Sonaiya (KOWA)
Prof. Remi Sonaiya is a retired lecturer of French Language and Applied Linguistics of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State. Born in 1955, she started her education in 1961 at the St. Luke’s Demonstration School, Ibadan, Oyo State. She proceeded to the OAU in 1973 where she obtained Bachelor of Arts in French Language in 1977. In 1988, she obtained her Doctorate Degree from the Cornell University, USA. She started her lecturing career in 1982 and became a professor in 2001.
Remi as fondly called by friends and associates is also active in church and para-church organisations. She is a member of the Nigerian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (NIFES), the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, Calvary Ministry, Great Commission Movement of Nigeria, etc. She has been a Bible study teacher in her church for many years and is on the international faculty of Haggai Institute, Hawaii, USA, where she lectures on Stewardship. She is married to Babafunso Sonaiya, a professor of Animal Science. Politically, nothing is heard of her except the mention of her name by INEC as presidential candidate. She has not been seen campaigning for the seat.
Adebayo Musa Ayeni (APA)
Dr. Ayeni is the presidential candidate of the African Peoples Alliance (APA). He was born in 1953 in Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti state. A Biochemist by study, he was the Commissioner for Agriculture and later that of Commerce and Industry between 1988 and 1990 in the old Ondo State. Between 1990 and 1992, he was a deputy governor in Ondo State.
In 2007, he contested the governorship election of Ekiti State on the platform of United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP) and lost. Ayeni, who started his lecturing job in 1986 at the Obafemi Awolowo University (University of Ife), Osun State, started his University academic pursuit in 1976. He did his first degree, Master’s and PhD in the same university. He bagged his PhD in 1988. Ayeni, a Muslim cleric is the chairman/ chief executive officer of Mid- Latitude Group. Nothing much has been heard from him. He has refused to campaign yet he is seeking to be the president.
Ambrose Albert Owuru (HDP)
High Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, a lawyer, has been in the presidential race since 2007. He is the presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP). Born in Port Harcourt some 53 years ago, Owuru attended Orogbum Primary School in Port Harcourt before proceeding to Country Grammar School, Ikwerre/ Ekhe.
For his university education, the HDP presidential candidate went to University of Buckingham, England and the University of London. Upon his return to Nigeria, Owuru attended the Nigeria Law School and was called to the Bar. He worked with Soton Denton between 1986 and 1987 before joining A A Owuru and company. Given his past experience, Owuru is not new in presidential contest.
He has gone through the same path since 2007 but unfortunately, HDP is not well rooted in Nigerian politics. Again, he is yet to embark on nationwide presidential campaign probably because of lack of money. His chances in becoming the next Nigerian president is slim.
Martin Onovo (NCP)
The National Conscience Party (NCP) presidential candidate, Chief Martin Onovo is an engineer by profession. He was the presidential candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in 2011. Onovo was born in Owerri, Imo State in 1969 and studied in the University of Ibadan and the University of Houston in the United States of America, where he read Petroleum Engineering. Before then, he was in Ekulu Primary School and National Grammar School both in Enugu, the Enugu State capital, for his primary and secondary education.
The NCP presidential candidate worked with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) for one year, between 1992 and 1993 before he left for his second degree in USA. He was a member of various organisations including the Institute of Transport Administration and the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) Despite his past experience as AA presidential candidate in 2011, Onovo and his party are not front runners in the presidential race. Before he joined the presidential contest in 2011, Onovo had no previous political experience.
Mani Ibrahim Ahmad (ADC)
Dr. Mani Ibrahim Ahmad is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The 46-year-old graduate of Ahmadu Bello University is a Director, Academic Planning at Baze University, Although, his campaign theme is, “Think about your situation”, Ahmed is not considered a serious candidate.
Ganiyu Galadima (ACPN)
Galadima, born in 1964 started his political carrier in 1991 when he was elected councillor, Ilorin-West Local Government Area of Kwara State. In 1992, he was appointed deputy speaker of the council and after this position, he has gone on to hold other appointive positions.
As a member of All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), he was elected Kwara State Legal Adviser of the party from 2001-2006 and later became the national assistant treasurer of the party. In 2007, he picked the ANPP senatorial ticket of the party in 2007 and lost the election. He was however appointed in 2010 as Director, Constituency Affairs of Senator Gbemisola Saraki. The ACPN presidential candidate in 2011 left ANPP and joined ACPN as national secretary.
He served in this capacity until 2014 before he was elected national chairman of the party and later the presidential candidate. Galadima is also the national treasurer of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC). He is not canvassing for votes. He has not embarked on campaign a few days to the election.
Rafiu Salau (AD)
Salau is the presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He was born on July 25, 1966. He is not new in Nigerian politics having served as national publicity secretary of the AD over 10 years. Salau is an experienced politician, he has never taken part in any election as a candidate, therefore his intention to run for the presidency took many people by surprise. Considering his political antecedent, Salau is not seen as a serious contender in the presidential race. He also lacks viable platform to actualise his dream.
Sam Eke (CPP)
Despite being the national chairman of Citizen Popular Party (CPP), Dr. Sam Eke had to battle on many fronts to get the party’s presidential ticket for the February 14 election. He is no greenhorn in politics and his dossier speaks volumes of his various forays in politics. But whether that would translate to votes for him during the election is a different kettle of fish. Eke, who is an accountant by profession, hails from Ikwuana Iga in Abia State but had his primary and post-primary education in Lagos.
He then advanced to the Federal Polytechnic, Akanu Ibiam and then the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro for his tertiary education. In the quest for further knowledge in his field of study, he went abroad to the Pacific Western University, Janus University and the State University of New York, all in the United States of America, to acquire a post graduate certificate and then his PhD. He was the CPP governorship candidate in Abia State in 2007 and 2011 and was the national publicity secretary, Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC).
With his party, CPP, escaping INEC hammer. Eke, as the chairman of the party, moved dispassionately to put the party in the political mainstream of the nation before emerging as the presidential candidate. The CPP presidential candidate was in the news lately when he lost his cool at the 2015 election sensitisation workshop on nonviolence, widely known as the Abuja Accord following the omission of his name from the programme.