The 2023 general elections came with a bag of surprises- the North-west and North Central continues to be strongholds of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
For the first time in the history of Nigeria, reasonable percentage of the country’s youth exercise their electoral powers by actively participating during the polls.
More so, one of the takeaways of the historical electoral moment was how the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Gregory Obi nearly changed the political status quo in the country.
Before now, there was no misgivings that before you cannot win any election in this part of the world, except you have put in place a formidable structure which you must have been nursing for several years. You need a very strong party and big election financiers to achieve your dream of becoming president.
The former Governor of Anambra State gave both Abubakar Atiku and Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidates of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and the APC, a run for their money. Though, Tinubu later won the race after a very tight fight.
Coming to gubernatorial elections held in about 30 states of the federation on the 18th of March, 2023 there was a lot of changes as for the instance, the tsunami of the Obidient Movement swept the ruling PDP away in Abia state as Alex Otti of the opposition Labour Party defeated his closest rival, Chief Okey Ahiwe.
The former got 175,466 while the latter scored 88,526.
In Sokoto, the PDP candidate Saidu Umar lost to the APC’s candidate, Ahmed Aliyu, an ally of former governor of the state, Senator Aliyu Wammako.
Also, in Benue, the PDP lost its grab on the state as candidate of the APC candidate, Rev. Fr. Alia Hyacinth floored Samuel Ortom’s anointed candidate, Titus Uba.
Incumbent Governor Bello Matawalle of the ruling APC lost his second term bid to Dauda Lawal of the PDP in Zamfara State.
The gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Plateau State was defeated by Caleb Muftwang of the PDP.
Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP defeated governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s ally, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the APC in a keenly contested Gubernatorial election
As it stands, Cross Rivers Governor-elect is the only APC governor in the whole of South-south.
Francis Nwifuru and Hope Uzodinma of Ebonyi and Imo states respectively are the only APC governors in the South-east – meaning the party is only controlling two states in the region.
Kano governor-elect Abba Yusuf Kabir is the only NNPP governor in the North-west and Nigeria.
Zamfara governor-elect Dauda Lawal is the only PDP the only NNPP governor in the North-west and Nigeria.
Alex Otti of Abia is the only LP governor in the South-east and Nigeria.
Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra is the only All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, governor in the South-east and Nigeria
LP, APGA and NNPP are the only political parties in Nigeria with one governor each.
APC is the strongest party in the North-central and North -west with five governors each.
PDP has two governors in the South-west region – Oyo and Osun.
In the North-east, both APC and PDP have three governors each.
In the guber election, the ruling APC lost Zamfara, Plateau and Kano states to the oppositions while the PDP lost Sokoto, Benue states.
Since February, 2007 no party has ruled Anambra State except APGA.
All in all, APC currently has 20 governors, PDP has 13, LP 01, NNPP 01 and APGA boasts one governor.
