The year 2023 was eventful for Nigeria as the citizens elected new leaders who would pilot the affairs of the country for the next four years. The elections, no doubt, witnessed a lot of intrigue and political maneuvering. However, the rest is history.
Presidential election
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The 2023 presidential election came with several twists that made it holistically different from other elections conducted in the country since Nigeria returned to democracy. Unlike the 2015 and 2019 elections, where Nigerians were limited to the option of either the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there were other forces in the 2023 presidential polls.
The Labour Party, LP, and the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, added flavour to the election as they gained massive popularity during the polls.
While the PDP fielded a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, as its candidate, the ruling APC had Bola
Tinubu, while the LP and NNPP had Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, respectively, as their flagbearers. The entrance of Mr. Peter Obi of the LP changed the dynamics of the game. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, eventually declared Tinubu the winner of the election after garnering 8,794,726 votes, a development that led to litigation. Tinubu also defeated the opposition parties at both the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and the Supreme Court.
May 29: Handing Over
Former president Muhammadu Buhari exited Aso Rock Villa on May 29. President Bola Tinubu was then sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th head of state since 1960 and the fifth president since the return to civil rule in 1999. After handing over the mantle of leadership to his successor, Buhari retired to his hometown, Daura, in Katsina State, where he is currently taking care of his farm. About 28 newly elected and returning governors were also inaugurated in different states across the country on May 29.
New Leadership Of 10th National Assembly
In June, Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, was elected president of the 10th Senate. Mr. Akpabio polled 63 votes to defeat his lone challenger, Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State, who secured 46 votes. Also, the senator representing Kano North, Barau Jibrin, emerged as the deputy senate president. Mr. Jibrin was elected unopposed.
Hon. Tajudeen Abbas also emerged as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, while Hon. Benjamin Kalu was elected the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Fuel Subsidy Removal
In his inaugural address on May 29, President Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidies, a development that landed millions of Nigerians in unprecedented hardship. Although some of his predecessors had attempted to stop the fuel subsidy payment following the alleged corruption shrouding it, Tinubu finally ended the subsidy hours after he was sworn in as president of the country. The announcement had an immediate adverse effect on Nigerians as the price of the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, jumped from N195 to over N600 per litre in most parts of the country. Prices of staple food items, other goods, and services skyrocketed immediately after the president announced the subsidy removal. Despite several palliatives and other interventions by federal and state governments aimed at alleviating the effect of subsidy removal, millions of Nigerians are yet to regain their financial strength.
Rift Between Fubara And Wike
The recent face-off between the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja, also captured the attention of the entire nation. Governor Fubara, who took over from Wike on May 29, fell out with his former boss over an alleged move by Wike to control his (Fubara) government. On October 29, the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex in Port Harcourt was hit by an explosion that destroyed a section of the building. The incident was a sequel to reports that some members of the assembly who are loyal to Wike had concluded plans to unseat the governor via impeachment. The alleged impeachment move came to an abrupt halt after the complex was shut down due to the fire incident. On December 11, about twenty-seven members of the Assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. The crisis lingered until December 18, when Fubara, Wike, and former governor of the state Peter Odili, among other stakeholders, met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. At the end of the meeting, an eight-point peace deal was brokered by President Tinubu, leading to relative peace in the state.
Nnamdi Kanu
The expected release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, did not happen. Many of his followers, especially people from the South-East, hoped that the Supreme Court would set him free, but the apex court, on December 15, 2023, instead ordered that he return to the High Court and face trial. The Apex Court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim but written by Justice Garba Lawal, voided and set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which in October last year ordered the release of Kanu. The Supreme Court held that although the Nigerian Government recklessly and unlawfully rendered Kanu from Kenya, such an unlawful act has not deterred any Court from proceeding with trial. Justice Lawal said that no Nigerian law was cited in the suit seeking Kanu’s release on mere unlawful abduction from Kenya, adding that at the moment, the remedy for such action is for Kanu to file a civil matter against such an act instead of removing the powers of the courts to continue with his trial for alleged criminal charges.
Akeredolu’s death Like the popular saying “death is inevitable,” there is no doubt that 2023 has proved to be a lethal year as it has claimed the lives of many Nigerians, including some prominent politicians and influential personalities. The news of the demise of Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was a shock to many Nigerians. Although the governor battled leukaemia for a long time, he was expected to recover and return to office. Akeredolu became the latest governor to die in power after Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, governor of Kaduna State, died in office in 2012.
2023 CAF AWARDS
Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala shone brightly. Osimhen, the striker for Napoli, made history by becoming the first Nigerian to win the men’s CAF Player of The Year award since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999. Victor Osimhen became the first Nigerian male player to be nominated for the coveted Ballon d’Or. He lost out to Lionel Messi, who bagged the award for a record eighth time, while Osimhen ended up as the ninth-best male player in the world in the 2022–23 football season.
Meanwhile, Oshoala, who plays for Barcelona Feminine, claimed the women’s APOTY, extending her record as the most decorated Nigerian female player. The Super Falcons, Nigeria’s women’s national team, also had a remarkable year.
Their outstanding performance at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earned them the National Team of The Year award, and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was honored as the Goalkeeper of The Year.
High-flying Super Falcons Despite exiting the Women’s World Cup in the round of 16, the Nigerian women’s team captured the hearts of fans around the world with their spirited display. In a tough group that included Olympic champions Canada, co-hosts Australia, and Northern Ireland, the Falcons remained unbeaten with five points. It took a penalty shootout against England to end their remarkable journey.