The 2023 presidential election is shaping up to be a close race which will be a sharp departure from the usual two-horse race. Aside having the old political horses as contenders from the stable of the main political parties, the atmosphere is also animated by the presence of another, who not a few consider as less illustrious. Already, the noise of lack of political structures is renting the air which has become a tad euphemism for weak chances in the electoral field.
Undoubtedly, Peter Obi is an underdog – the less resourced, endowed or fancied opponent that has emerged from a weak political springboard. But, he seems to be having the most exciting time of his political career. He’s riding on the crest of massive support amply contributed by the participation of a huge youthful population who are on their playground – the social media – whipping up support for him.
The fence sitters and those that were hitherto standing politically aloof are beginning to shed their old skin – obviously having been bitten by the bug. I have often explained that it is all the result of the underdog effect sweeping across the political space.
It is instructive to state that sometimes our weakness could be as significant as our strength which underlies the predilection of many politicians for the underdog label. Recall that former US President Barack Obama in 2008 and even during his reelection campaign described himself as an underdog. The underdog label confers the quality of likeability, attracts sympathy and creates bond with people. Yes, it uncannily resonates with people.
The underdog status is paving the way for Peter Obi which is explicable in the light of the unflattering record of performance of the mainstream politicians which has, to all intents and purposes, pitched many into the pit of exasperation derived from an existing maelstrom of emotions. For them it is about nailing the raiders of the national treasures to the political stake.
Nigerians are martyrs of the most execrable form of bad leadership which has spawned pervasive corruption that is unraveling the socio-economic fabric. Without saying, development has been stymied and it’s illustrated perfectly by the various indicators of development which have all gone sour. And, the political class has remained shielded from the quotidian struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
The biggest indication yet of citizens’ frustration was the #EndSARS protest which initially was on police brutality before broadening to encompass unemployment, corruption etc. So, a reenactment albeit from the political platform is what is discreetly unfolding with Peter Obi as the rallying object. It’s a way of saying that the country requires a new face to steer the ship out of the boisterous socioeconomic storm. In the final analysis that’s where the reward lies – having the old political guards supplanted.
Of equal significance is the lack of reckoning for our plurality which has stoked the issue of equity and justice. It’s the blood of every society and its hemorrhage carries a fatal consequence. For instance, the echoes of the civil war still reverberate after many decades as a result.
The South-east still finds itself alienated or pushed to the fringes. They expect to be more than a cog in the machine not least from the cornucopia of their contribution to the socio-economic wellbeing of the country. Simply excising them from the power sharing structure is producing this movement with an epidemic effect. Many have deemed the power sharing arrangement as undemocratic but in the eyes of many also, consensus building is not anathema to democracy. In fact, it is an important centripetal force.
Obviously, the clamour for secession has been shorn of its fervour, since the attention of overt and covert proponents has shifted to a more peaceful means of being part of the whole. For the umpteenth time, the poor attention to our plurality has stoked untold disaffection all to Peter Obi’s political advantage.
Certainly, not all underdogs will win but ignoring them will be at a huge peril. The label has a way it drives success, makes demand for hard work, passion and determination. Underdogs are disrupters.
Essentially, hubris needs to be dispensed with, not least, when squaring off against an underdog. This is on the strength of the catalogue of confounding stories of the underdog leaving its celebrated opponent in the dust. So, next year might be for the underdog if the stock in trade is to underestimate and criticize without strategy to appeal to voters.
Ungbo writes from Abuja via
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