TwoCents | IT'S CAMPAIGN SEASON

The build up to the 2023 presidential election gets thicker everyday. The players of this particular election have made the stakes higher. It's even coming off like a Steven Spielberg directed movie. It's just so interesting. It seems like Nigerians get more interested in politics with each political season and this one is unprecedented. The activities of this election season has overshadowed the usual online top searches. Nigerians have never been this interested in politics, since, maybe, pre-independence. It was such a shock to discover that the famous Big Brother Naija (BBN) which is usually the No.1 top search whenever it is on, is not even in the top 10 searches. Why? No other reason, other than, it's election season. When this year's edition of BBN was about to start, I was scared that Nigerians, especially the youth would turn their attention to BBN, be distracted and the initial momentum would lose traction. It is however fulfilling to see us, as a people focus on the task at hand, which is reclaiming our country from neo-slavers and not give in to the obvious distraction. I'm so sure this would be the worst year for the BBN organisers. The official kick-off for campaigns for the elections was billed for 28th September and it seemed Nigerians were more fixated on the date than the contestants themselves. Nigerians have been watching with keen interest, the activities of the 3 major contenders. While the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi kicked of his campaign in the presence of ordinary Nigerians in Plateau, Jos, the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar aka Unifier only stormed the International Conference Centre, Abuja in company of other party members to inaugurate his Presidential Campaign Committee amidst an internal crisis rocking the party. The Unifier can't seem to unify the warring factions in his party. Obviously, unifying Nigeria will be a feat too difficult to handle for Mr. Unifier, except the suffix is meant to deceive gullible people again. Meanwhile, Bola Ahmed Tinubu aka Emi lokan is conspicuously missing in action (MIA). He's being made a mockery of all over social media. He seems to have jetted out of the country on one of his many medical vacations. He maintains that he wants to continue the Buhari's legacy. Laughable, I must say. At least Buhari got into office before going MIA every now and again but Emi lokan hasn't even gotten close to the office and he's already always MIA at the most inauspicious times. Without going further on this, it is without doubt that despite the sufferings of Nigerians under Buhari, a Tinubu presidency will usher Nigerians into more perilous times, worse than we have ever known before. A Tinubu presidency, going by his antecedents and recent exposés will turn Nigeria into a ghostland and a wasteland, one only which his henchmen and cronies benefit from. Well, now that campaign season is officially open, our faves can now have a field day convincing us why we should support them. Will it be a battle of the gladiators, a local Derby or will the usual rice, 5k or beans (since it has recently been added to the mix) be in circulation like the very weak Naira? Whatever the case, I'll leave you with this, "if you collect 5k na for four (4) years meanwhile olosho dey collect 20k for one night." It's CAMPAIGN SEASON, make we borrow ourselves sense.

Other insights from Tari Ogbowei