Some of the little known presidential candidates: (clockwise from left) Dele Momodu (NCP), Chris Nwaokobia (LPN), Christopher Okotie (FP), Peter Nwangwu (ADC), Ndu Yahaya (ARP), Rasheed Adewale Shitta-Bey (MPPP), Patrick Utomi (SDMP) and John Dara (NTP).
Little-known presidential candidates
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March 27, 2011 06:05PM |  print  email   |
The April 9 presidential election which is two weeks away will feature 20 candidates but only a handful seem popular enough, besides the incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, former military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, former head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu and current governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau.
Yet there are 16 lesser known candidates vying for this job, pursuing a dream that has become somewhat customary for some and symbolic for others. In the 2007 presidential election, there were 22, and 19 in 2003.
Nwadike Batos Chikezie (PMP)
On the current and probably final list of the Independent National Electoral Commission, published last week, the People Mandate Party will present Nwadike Batos Chikezie as its flag bearer.
A former teacher from Anambra state, Mr. Chikezie joined politics in 1989 and served as the Administration Secretary of the defunct Peoples Front of Nigeria in old Imo State. He later moved to then Social Democratic Party (SDP) and contested as the Chairman of Nkwerre Local Government Area.
With the return to democracy in 1999, he lost the senatorial elections and later became a Special Adviser to late senate president, Chuba Okadigbo. He contested in the presidential primaries of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2007.
Now back on the hustings, Mr. Chikezie said if elected, he will pursue developmental projects and raise workers wage to a minimum of N50,000.
Peter Nwangwu (ADC)
The African Democratic Congress has Peter Nwangwu, a professor, as its flag bearer. Mr. Nwangwu hails from Anambra State too and besides training in the United States as a chemist and pharmacologist, Mr. Nwangwu wields relatively light political credentials for the highest political office in the country.
John Dara (NTP)
From the North Central state of Kwara, comes John Dara of the National Transformation Party (NTP). He once served as Special Assistant to the former Minister of Defence, Theophilus Danjuma and is a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Ebiti Onoyom Ndok (UNPD)
Although three women will be running mates in the presidential contest, only Ebiti Onoyom Ndok from Cross River State is standing as a female candidate for the highest office, sustaining the one-female-in-the-contest convention that has remained since 1999. Representing the United National Party for Development, Mrs. Ndok trained in Nursing, Management, Law and Diplomatic Studies and is the chair of her party, like many of the less known candidates.
She campaigns to champion the women agenda of greater participation in leadership and also promises a minimum wage of N50,000.
Ndu Yahaya (ARP)
Besides the well-known repeated push for the presidency by former military head of state, Mr. Buhari, who has been in the contest since 2003, Ndu Yahaya of the African Renaissance Party is another top ranking contestant if judged by frequency of contest.
A lawyer and the chairman of the party, he has sustained his aspiration for years despite successive dismal performance at the polls. His party joined the ruling party, PDP, last week in rejecting the INEC's code of conduct for the approaching elections. He personally described the document as "vexatious and unnecessary". He promises an administration of mass participation if elected.
Solomon Akpona (NMDP)
Solomon Akpona, is one of four candidates from Delta State seeking the office of the president. He promises to improve the economy, upgrade power and the nation's industrial sector if elected on the platform of the National Majority Democratic Party.
Chris Nwaokobia (LPN)
Also from Delta State is Chris Nwaokobia of the Liberal Party of Nigeria. One of the youngest in the pack at 40, Mr. Nwaokobia wields more energy as a scholar - having trained as a lawyer and political scientist- than as a politician. The party pledges to attend mostly to education, energy and employment if elected.
Christopher Okotie (FP)
Renowned Pastor, Christopher Okotie, from Delta State too, returns to the contest in 2011 as a veteran candidate having attempted to win the presidency twice. In 2003, he ran on the platform of Justice Party while in 2007 he represented Fresh Party, where he remains. Mr. Okotie has repeatedly claimed divine directive to seek office.
Patrick Utomi (SDMP)
Another veteran presidential contestant is prominent economist, Patrick Utomi, who also hails from the South South state of Delta. He ran in 2007. Mr. Utomi has been a lecturer and entrepreneur, and stands as a candidate for the Social Democratic Mega Party. He promises transparency in governance, anchored on a 10-prong strategy for development.
Dele Momodu (NCP)
One of the newest in the pack is journalist and publisher, Dele Momodu, of the National Conscience Party. He played a role in the campaign of the late politician Moshood Abiola, the winner of the annulled 1993 presidential elections. Besides that, he has, relatively, not been active in politics up until now.
Rasheed Adewale Shitta-Bey (MPPP)
Rasheed Adewale Shitta-Bey is a one time member of the House of Representatives during the second republic.
He was the former national chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Mr. Shitta-Bey also led the defunct Mega Summit Movement (MSM), an alliance organised by some members of the opposition political force to oust the ruling PDP in 2011 elections. Some members of the Movement include: former head of state and the Presidential Candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Mr. Buhari; former secretary to the federal government and the Alliance for Democracy presidential aspirant in 1999 general election, Olu Falae; An Afenifere chieftain, Ayo Adebanjo; and former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
Mr. Shitta-Bey who is running on the platform of the Mega Progressive Peoples Party had at a time led the newly founded alliance of opposition parties under the auspices of the Patriotic Electoral Alliance of Nigeria (PEAN). The group had once declared its support for the aspiration of President Jonathan, but the alliance collapsed on the grounds that money was, allegedly, the main object of the group.
Mahmud Mudi Waziri
He is a West African School Certificate holder who aims to rule Africa's most populous nation.
Lawson Igboanugo Aroh
Holder of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, Mr. Aroh was the 2007 governorship candidate of the Peoples Progressive Party in Anambra state. He led a group of aspirants that declared their support for the victory of the Peoples' Democratic Party's candidate in that election, Andy Uba.
He said, "We hereby endorse the April 14 governorship election in Anambra State and at the same time urge our numerous supporters to seek no violence. While we are not challenging the outcome of the election, we intend to work closely with the PDP-led government to achieve relative peace, security and above all, the human and material progress of the state.
"Those who still feel aggrieved about the outcome of the election and their expectations, our advice are that there is another day and we urge them to join the reconciliation team for a better future for the state," he said.
The others
Running on the platform of the African Political System is Lawrence Makinde Adedoyin, a Mechanical Engineer. Ifeanyichukwu Godswill Nnadi, is the flagbearer of the Better Nigeria Progressive Party, and Albert Ambrose Awuru is of the Hope Democratic Party.
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