Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore and Fela Durotoye, a business strategist and motivational speaker, are two young men who have declared their intentions to run for President. Are they in the race to win or just for the Nigerian youths to show presence? YUSUF MOHAMMED reports
In 2015, Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as the fourth democratically elected president of Nigeria since the return to democracy in 1999. It was the first time that an incumbent in the person of Goodluck Jonathan was defeated. Africa, which is known for its sit-tight leaders, witnessed democracy at its finest.
During the election, Buhari enjoyed the goodwill of the people. However, that goodwill has diminished as Buhari has failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians. Rather than make good his campaign promises, Buhari began to make excuses – that he was not a magician.
Despite the frustrations of many Nigerians over his failings, and the clamour for a younger president in 2019, the president and his handlers are bent on contesting for a second term. Foreign media also lay emphasis on his age (75). According to Ryan Cummings of Agency France Press (AFP), “Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, will seek re-election at the age of 75 to govern Africa’s most populous country, which has a median age of 17.9 years.”
Enter Omoyele Sowere, 46 and Fela Durotoye, 47, who have declared their intentions to vie for the highest office in the land. Could they have joined the race to satisfy the quest for youthful aspirants, candidates or even with a measure of seriousness to win the presidential election?
Many people have questioned their experience in public office. For the greater part of their adult lives they have been entrepreneurs. Sowore is an activist and was president of the Student Union Government of the University of Lagos in 1992. So far, he has not revealed the political platform under which he will contest in the 2019 election.
In the last few years, he has carved a niche for himself as an activist and a media entrepreneur with Sahara Reporters. His online platform is very popular with millions of followers on social media. Among websites, it is ranked 19,327 in the world and 119 in Nigeria on Alexa ranking. He is not known to be wealthy like most of the regular presidential aspirants, but he appears to have enough to visit some parts of the country to seek support ahead of the contest. That is exactly what he has been doing.
Sowore has met with just a few traditional rulers and students asking for support. For instance, he visited the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II and also, Sheik Ahmad Gumi. He told the Emir that Nigerian youths are being blocked by the older politicians, the main reason he declared his ambition. Wherever he visits, his message is clear. He tells the people to ‘Take It Back.’ meaning take Nigeria back.
Sowore has been living in the United States of America for many years but has not lost touch with the Nigerian reality. It is believed among his associates that he knows how to galvanize the Nigerian crowd.
The Next Edition learnt that Sowore and Durotoye were in Ibadan early this month to engage the public. At the event, Sowore declared that: “We don’t have electricity. It is by design. This is the only country where we pay for darkness. Sixteen billion dollars was spent to improve the darkness in Nigeria under the man in Ota who is organizing a third force. Whether there is a first force, second force or third force, all of the forces will be on the run in 2019. I will put security first. After that is power.”
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Speaking of corruption and minimum wage, he said: “Kola Aluko stole $3billion. It didn’t cause inflation. When Mrs. Jonathan started opening all manner of accounts, it didn’t cause inflation. But when you say that money should be given to our workers so they can send their children to school or get them drugs, we say it will cause inflation. I am not making promises based on fictitious figures. What we have calculated is that it will cost Nigeria just $1.3billion more to pay workers N100, 000 as minimum wage.
“I will pay workers N100, 000 minimum wage and those of you who are youth corp members will be paid N50,000 and we will be heading very quickly to N100,000 because youth corp members should be able to earn minimum wage as well. If you’re a youth corp member and anything happens to you during your youth corps service, your family gets paid a sum of N10 million.” The crowd sang his praises.
Like Sowore, Durotoye is also charismatic and has his way with words given his background as a motivational speaker. He is running on the platform of Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN). Speaking to the audience, he said: “It’s impossible for compassion-less leaders to deliver a great society. Leaders must have three qualities to deliver a great society. They must be competent, credible and have compassion. 2019 is not going to be an election – it will be a choice. The people together are richer than the rich people. I want to have the largest cabal in Nigeria – a cabal of 190 million people.”
While Durotoye seems to appeal to the elites with his style of campaign, the ordinary man on the street may not be moved by his messages. Sowore, on the other hand, knows the streets. Yet, they have something in common. They are young men who are determined to unseat President Buhari in 2019. Their undoing may be the fact that they don’t have structures across the 36 states of the country. They intend to bank on populism, which may not be tenable.
Political analysts are of the view that if they join forces they may be able to achieve something. For instance, a political analyst, Bayo Adeyinka, expressed the view that: “If I had my way, I will marry the street credibility, energy and fluidity of Sowore with the strategy and stoicism of Durotoye. Apart, it is doubtful if any of them can win but together, they can take this country by storm. One thing is certain nevertheless – both of them will run this country better than Buhari.”
