Nigerians will determine their next president in a general election on Saturday, February 25. Following the polling, the inauguration is scheduled for May 29, 2023. As Election Day approaches, it is important to consider the key challenges that the incoming president will face. These challenges center around five critical areas: national cohesion, security, the economy, the university system, and the fight against corruption. While these issues are significant, they are surmountable if the president demonstrates the will and commitment to uphold democratic governance.
One of the most pressing threats is the fractured polity of Nigeria. The country is more divided and polarized than ever, with deep-seated issues of ethnocentrism, sectarianism, sectionalism, parochialism, and religious extremism pushing it to the brink. This polarization is evident in discussions surrounding the de facto rotational presidency, controversies over presidential candidates and their religious affiliations, the neo-Biafra separatist agitations in the southeast, and the toxic, bigoted ethnocentric rhetoric prevalent in both mainstream and social media. The next president must prioritize urgent measures for national reconciliation and integration to prevent impending chaos.
National security is another critical concern, as the current state of security in Nigeria is alarming. The Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast is being replaced by a troubling nexus of banditry and terrorism in the northwest. The north-central region continues to grapple with a deadly farmer-herder crisis, while the southeast is embroiled in separatist violence and associated criminal opportunism. In the southwest, there is an increase in gang and ritual brigandage, and the south-south region remains plagued by militancy, piracy, and oil theft. The next president must take decisive action to address these dire security threats.
The economy is also in distress, with Nigeria experiencing slow economic growth. The national currency, the naira, has been severely devalued amid a volatile exchange rate, while inflation and unemployment rates continue to rise. The cost of living has reached unprecedented levels, and the government appears to have lost its grip on national economic planning and management. The new president will face the challenge of revitalizing an ailing and critically dysfunctional economy.
Additionally, Nigeria’s university system is deteriorating due to government neglect. In 2022, public universities lost nearly a year to an industrial dispute between the federal government and various university unions over funding, governance, and workers’ welfare. The core issue stemmed from the government’s failure to honor agreements made with the unions. Although the federal government secured a court order compelling lecturers to return to work, the underlying conditions that led to the strike remain largely unaddressed. This suggests that industrial harmony and stability in the university sector are unlikely to last, and the next president should take note of this situation.
Lastly, endemic public corruption poses a significant challenge. Despite the current administration’s claims of opposition to corruption, instances of malfeasance persist, including allegations against the former accountant general of the federation for embezzling over 100 billion naira (approximately US$216 million). The next president must confront this issue head-on, setting an example of transparency and a zero-tolerance approach to self-serving behavior.
In summary, the incoming president will inherit a substantial governance burden that requires forthrightness, sincerity of purpose, and radical political will. Success will depend on the president’s willingness to approach governance differently, decisively confronting entrenched interests and self-regard. A good statesman will mitigate these challenges by adhering to the principles of democratic good governance, even in the face of potential backlash from vested interests. Conversely, a poor statesman may exacerbate these issues, leading to a precarious situation that could threaten the stability of Nigeria.
Okoli is a Reader in Political Science at the Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria. He has consulted for UN-Women, the African Union, and the Centre for Democracy and Development (Nigeria). He is also a member of CORN-West Africa. This article was first published in The Conversation.
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