Afrigather 
One of many massive wins of the simply concluded 2023 presidential elections is the notable efficiency of Peter Obi, the Labour Get together presidential candidate in Lagos.
Reviews by the electoral umpire, Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) confirmed that Obi polled 582,454 votes to trounce Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC)who scored 572,606 votes.
The strategic win which examined the place of the previous Lagos state governor because the political godfather of the state may break APC’s long-standing document within the industrial metropolis of Nigeria on the forthcoming gubernatorial elections.
Whereas loads of components may very well be accountable for Peter Obi’s win in Lagos, Babajide Sanwolu’s victory on the polls on the eleventh of March is being threatened. Analyzing these components and the explanation why Sanwolu ought to be fearful will give us an perception into what may very well be the end result of Saturday’s election.
The energetic participation of youths
Figures from the Lagos state Ministry of Youth and Social Growth assert that 60 per cent of the estimated 25 million folks in Lagos are younger folks between the ages of 15 and 35. This proportion which stands at roughly 10 million, the biggest within the nation is among the components that influenced Peter Obi’s win in Lagos.
Forward of the election, Lagos youths took to social media to specific their readiness for the election. Most of them who went via a tedious course of to safe their Everlasting Voter Playing cards (PVC) have been at their polling items very early to forged their votes. After casting their votes, most of them took to social media to share footage of their marked fingers, which confirmed that they participated on this course of. This mass participation of youths made Obi ground Tinubu in Lagos.
APC’s Muslim Muslim Ticket
That is one other issue that gave Obi an edge over Tinubu. The Muslim-Muslim ticket introduced by the ruling occasion was not accepted by most Christians throughout the nation.
The ticket elevated the concern that the nation may very well be Islamised following the current assaults on church buildings. One such is the June 6, 2022, Owo assault that claimed a number of lives and plunged the nation into mourning. The hurts and disappointment birthed by the assault on church buildings made pastors counsel their members to go get their PVCs and take part within the electoral course of.
Citizen’s dedication to take again their nation
Intently linked to the earlier issue is Nigerians’ dedication to take their nation again. This comes on the heels of broadened voter schooling by the electoral umpire. Nigerians have been reminded that they owned the nation and by casting their votes, they’ll elect a frontrunner of their alternative. In order that they got here out en masse to vote for Peter Obi, a candidate who ticked all their bins together with his distinctive political and social information.
Minimized concern of violence
Through the years, Nigeria has recorded low voter turnout due to concern of electoral violence. Residents in time previous selected to securely keep within the nook of their houses, somewhat than come out to vote. Nonetheless, the 2023 election was totally different because the Nigerian authorities ensured that safety brokers have been deployed to polling items to make sure most safety. This minimised the concern of violence and made many Lagosians take part within the election. Additionally, the simple identification of polling items helped minimise the concern of violence as voters have been assigned to areas they have been accustomed to.
The notable presence of the Igbo folks in Lagos
Lagos is house to a lot of companies, a few of that are owned by Igbos. It’s believed that the variety of folks within the state influenced Obi’s win in Lagos.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Get together, Dele Momodu who spoke on Channel Tv’s Dawn Every day programme on Thursday, mentioned “What transpired final Saturday, the most important issue was ethnic: the Labour Get together was capable of take over the APC behemoth due to the preponderance of the Igbo folks in Lagos. They’re in every single place.”
Going additional, it’s pertinent to look at why the incumbent Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwolu ought to be fearful. Listed below are some causes:
The youths are sad with the end result of the 2023 presidential elections
Nigerian youths are typically sad with the collation and announcement of the 2023 presidential elections. This unhappiness may make them use the ability inherent of their PVCs to vote for one more candidate that relates and believes within the “OBIdient mandate.”
Their unhappiness which dates again to the 2020 EndSars protest and the angle of Sanwolu to the actions may very well be the rationale why youths could determine to vote him out.
LP governorship candidate has gained momentum
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (the Lagos face of Obi) has over the previous few days gained momentum. This comes because the working mate of Obi, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed charged Nigerian youths to return out and vote for the occasion in subsequent week’s governorship and the home of meeting polls.
Gbadebo is the son of former Supreme Court docket of Nigeria Justice Olawale Rhodes-Vivour and Mrs. Nkechi Rhodes-Vivour. He holds a level in structure and based Spatial Tectonics. The Lagos gubernatorial candidate additionally serves on the boards of Alhuda Development Nigeria and Delta Worldwide Business Metropolis Ltd.
The above components may deprive him of a second time period
Most significantly, Sanwolu ought to be fearful as a result of his dream of a second time period may very well be aborted by the doable components that made Obi win Lagos through the 2023 presidential election.
Lagosians who’re conscious of the political relationship between Sanwolu and Tinubu have realized via the simply concluded elections that they possessed what it takes to grab Lagos from Tinubu. They may use their PVCs at hand the state to Gbadebo.
