2023DECIDES

As the incumbent President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari is term-limited and cannot contest for re-election for a third term in 2023, the nation’s presidential election as been scheduled for 25 February 2023 to elect the president and vice president of the country.

No doubt, politicians in the country are now in the struggle for power without any enduring attachment to ideals, philosophies, and ideologies While the presidential and federal legislative elections are held on 25 of February, the governorship and States legislative election will take place on the 11 March.

Should there be no clear winner in any of the polls; a second round will be held within three weeks. For the nation’s top seat, a total of 18 candidates are campaigning for the top job, but only three have a realistic chance of winning. They are: with his mantra as a "OBIdients" candidat integ than other candidat

PETER OBI is a 61 year old optimist to dismantle the two-party systemPeoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress which has been atthetopofthenation'spoliticalsystem sincetheendofmilitaryrulein1999.

Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, who served from 2006 to 2014 is contesting under the Labour Party, which has gained more momentum since he decamped from the PDP. He presently enjoys continuous support on social media and amongst Nigeria's youth.

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Nigeria Decides 2023

ATIKU ABUBAKAR is contesting under the opposition PDP. He remains the only candidate contesting for the presidency seat five times and has lost all. The present 2023 election will make it thesixthtimeintherace.

He once worked in the Nigerian custom before becoming the vicepresident of the country under Olusegun Obasanjo. , as Atiku fondly called, has been accused of corruption like Tinubu but which he denies.

Nigeria Decides 2023

BOLA AHMED TINUBU is the oldest in appearance among the candidates but said to be 70 years of age. He is the candidaterepresentingtheAPCparty.

Tinubu is known as a political godfather in the south-west region, particularly Lagos State, where he holds a large amountofinfluence.

Despite this, he has been accused of corruption, drugs over the years and his poor health status are some of what he had denied. His campaign slogan

One of the major issues confronting the country is unemployment. This has left many graduates dreadful that they may not find work even after years of university study. Data by the National Bureau of Statistics show that 33% of the population is unemployed. This implies an increase of 42.5% for younger adults. According to the World Bank, it is said four out of 10 Nigerians live below the “poverty line and lack education and access to basic infrastructure, such as electricity, safe drinking water, and improved sanitation." It is worthy to note that no matter how well an election is, any newly elected government will have to address this massive challenge to create the kind of democracy that can deliver real results for Nigerians. Despite being a major oil producer in Africa and across the world, these problems have been mounting for several years, leaving some Nigerians skeptical about whether whoever wins the election will actually be able to fix them Despite the large number of registered voters - 93.5 millionconcerns persist about apathy and how many people will actually show up on the day to cast their ballot.

“EmiLokan”which means(It'smy turn in language, a entitlement.

Another problem facing voters is insecurity as the country is currently going through a kidnapping-forransom time and battling a militant Islamist insurgency in parts of the north. The June 5, 2022 mass shooting at a Catholic Church in Owo, attack on Kaduna-Abuja railway by assailants and several other cases resulted in people being killed or kidnapped. The Lekki toll gate killings and the ban of Twitter by the Federal government are some of the shortcoming of the present administration, which many may consider.

Aside from insecurity, the nation’s economy is another area of concern for Nigerians. Nigeria’s economic stagnancy, according to the World Bank, has pushed close to eight million people below the poverty line between 2020 and 2021, with five million more joining their ranks between January and September, according to the World Bank. Job prospects for young people have dwindled rather than expanded during Buhari’s tenure, while food prices have risen at the fastest rate in seventeen years.

The National Bureau of Statistics reports that 63 per cent of the population of approximately 210 million is now “multi-dimensionally poor”. It was reported in 2022 that the inflation rate of the country rose for 10 months in a row, just dipping to 21.3% according to the latest figures released this month. This rising cost of living has left many families struggling to make ends meet, with local media describing the situation as "dire". With almost 40% of registered voters under 34, the vote has been called the "election of young people" by elections Chief Mahmood Yakubu.

In addition are constant attacks on offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC oversees, conduct elections in the country. The attacks may have an effect on the electoral process. As the election draws nearer, Nigerian youth are excited to vote as eleven million new voters, amounting to 84 per cent of who are aged between eighteen and 34.

The election mood keeps rising and many are in anticipation to vote for their favourite candidate. While this is ongoing, Africa Peace Magazine calls on security operatives to be vigilant and at alert in protection of voters before, during and after. Also, the electoral body needs to be more proactive and ensure election materials are ready and available on time when the election comes.