I was in Ovim in Dec 2019 and some members of my age grade came and said that I should run for Governor. They wanted YES from me.At that time, my family had received an infrastructure award from the community for some small community projects.

I made it back to US. Some elders in Abia State reached out and said they would honour me with an award. They named me the Abia of the Year in Diaspora in a big ceremony in the state  chaired by the governor  (aku ruo olu). Yes, the guy who went to America and has not forgotten his ancestral home. Even the Bishop (Methodist) was very happy.

Then here on LinkedIn, more than five people wanted to buy the Abia governorship form. I told them to calm down – Ndubuisi Ekekwe has change to buy any form, including the N100 million one.  The problem is not the form but the STRUCTURES.

Yes, the structures. In the Southeast, you have an 87% chance to be elected  governor if you have the support of the current governor. I provided the math and how even at his post-CBN peak, Soludo could not break through in Anambra until he was anointed. For me, 13% chance was too low to invest my time and resources; I am a math guy.

So, as we look at this table, remember STRUCTURES for the next cycle. In Abia, the PDP primaries for governorship was so convoluted that the highest elected PDP official in Nigeria (as minority leader in Senate) was cut-off. Senator Abaribe left the party. What happened? STRUCTURES.

Nigerian democracy can only attract the “other forces” when all primaries are OPEN and DIRECT and that means the party members, not the delegates, will determine the party flagbearers as they do in the US. Today, the delegates control 90% of the permutations with the general election impactful just 10%. OPEN primaries must be enshrined in the constitution if we hope for a more open democracy in Nigeria!

So, as we look at this table, remember STRUCTURES. One way to fix? OPEN primaries so that party members, not delegates, will decide the party flagbearers as they do in US.

Congratulations Senator Tinubu: “By this time in 2022, APC will select Bola Tinubu as the presidential flagbearer of the party for Election 2023. Mr. Tinubu will select a retiring governor from the southeast as his running mate. … The present governor of Ebonyi state will likely be his running mate. Engr David Umahi will win with PDP in 2019 but will decamp to APC shortly.” Ndubuisi Ekekwe, October 1, 2018 .

I am updating that second part since PDP did not keep its “promise” to zone to the South. So, Governor Umahi will not get it. Congratulations Senator Bola Tinubu. Now, it is set – Obi, Tinubu and Atiku. Safe travels and great campaigns people.

More from PT.

After months of intense horse-trading among various power blocs within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, was Wednesday declared the winner of the presidential primary of the party.

At the presidential primary concluded in Abuja Wednesday, Mr Tinubu, who polled 1,271 votes, defeated 13 others in the race. His closest opponent was the former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who scored 316 votes.

Mr Tinubu, while declaring his intention to run for the presidency of Nigeria in January, said it has always been his lifetime ambition.

He disclosed this at the State House shortly after visiting President Muhammadu Buhari. He was also the first of the aspirants to officially make public his intention to run.

…

Mr Tinubu will now challenge the candidates of other parties in next year’s presidential election. His opponents will include Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

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Comment: The man Tinubu gave the rest a trouncing, politics has a way of showing people how popular and grounded they are. Some got zero vote…

There is nothing like being between the rock and hard place in 2023 election, so nobody should complain. Peter Obi is there to receive all the votes from all those who still think the two biggest parties didn’t choose the right candidates. So, if you fail to vote in next year’s election, just know that you are the problem, not politicians.

Ahead on 2023 – The Bola Tinubu and David Umahi Presidential Ticket

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