How lofty are your expectations from the fast-approaching 2023 polls?

It’s also worth noting that Nigeria being a federal democracy with political activity with majority on the two major parties in the recent past – the APC and PDP. But it’s no longer business as usual as other parties like LP have joined the majority train.  Please let’s make this matter for another day.

Here – a small Vox Pop to give an idea of what Nigerians expect from the 2023 general elections:

According to Media and Communications Expert, Emmanuel Daudu: “If Nigerians get it right with the leadership, particularly the office of the president, everything would fall in line. One of my major expectations is to see credible leaders take the helm of affairs for a better Nigeria.”

For a Media Practitioner, Bode Gbadebo: “Media Practitioner, Bode Gbadebo: “I expect that national security is improved so that Nigerians can sleep with their two eyes closed. If done, the economy will be naturally enhanced for both personal and national development. Finally, the 2023 general election should truly reflect the wishes of the majority of Nigerians to engender a sense of belonging, a better image among the comity of nations and ultimately good governance at home.”

Oil Expert, Charles Ehimationwan ably represented his own subsector: “In this New Year, I expect the recurrent issues around PMS supply to be settled. The intermittent petrol shortages only add to the general misery of long-suffering Nigerians 133 million (63 per cent) of whom are living under multidimensional poverty. The coming onstream of the Dangote Refinery is expected to help. I also expect a smooth transition from one administration to another irrespective of the current noise.”

Opinions from the real estate were also in. According to  Benjamin Onigbinde, real estate expert: The year 2022 has been a very challenging one in all respects. The economic outlook at the beginning of the year did not indicate such a high level of depression. The year turned out to be more innovative as more businesses and people strived to design new ways of creating values to survive. The political environment at the end of the year tends to create tension in the business operating environment as it’s becoming difficult to generate a sustainable forecast for business operations. The instability generated by unstable fiscal policy in the area of currency devaluation has increased the inflation rate mostly for essential commodities which has resulted in a continuous reduction in the standard of living. The expectation in 2023 is highly subjective to the results of the elections in various political offices. I may not be able to make a sustainable forecast for the economy.”

In the academia, Senior Staff, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State, Badmus Oladimeji said: “To say that the outgone year 2022 put to test, Nigerians’ resilience, strength and belief in the socioeconomic bounce back of the country, is an understatement. The country’s fabric of diversified unity was almost torn to the slivers courtesy of the rancid and unappealing occurrences like insecurity, economic hiccups, inflation, unemployment, brutality, forex, etc. This is, nonetheless, not to say that year 2022 was not beneficial to the internal and external image of the country but, one cannot be oblivious to the fact that the tiny negative lines of the year shadowed the government’s efforts at making life better for the citizens. However, coming out of all these, Nigerians weathered the storms, defied the odds and ushered in the year 2023 with high prospects of positive developments expected to be triggered by the fast-approaching elections. I am equally pleased to toe this path with strong convictions that the year 2023 would be a year Nigerians will reap the fruit of their labour having experienced the harrowing events of the year 2022. Nevertheless, this expectation will be a mirage and it could spell doom for the future of the country should we miss the golden opportunity to do the right thing in the coming elections. I am of the view that having quality leadership at the helm of affairs helps a country, inclusive of Nigeria, to attain enviable accomplishments so, for Nigerians to experience economic bliss and explore all the positives embedded in the year 2023, it is an expectation that right decisions must be made at the polls.”

For a Business Woman, Agatha Chitum: “Surviving the COVID-19 lockdown is a miracle, an eye-opener for me. Having survived these few years, I hope that the year 2023 will favour me as a businesswoman; I expect a decline in the cost of foodstuffs to satisfy my customers. I also expect peaceful elections.”

Another Nigerian, Ogedengbe Racheal who is a writer and proofreader entered: “I am working towards 2023. I experience and enjoy exciting firsts; in my career, personal business and finances.  As regards the country, I hope Nigeria will be in better hands by 2023. I hope the commonwealth of Nigeria will shift from being enjoyed by an elite few to being enjoyed by all and sundry. I hope there will be policies that help small businesses thrive. I hope Nigerians no longer have to pay for basic amenities and infrastructure for which the government is solely responsible.”

Excellent!

Do you have any expectation from the 2023 general elections? How lofty are they? Please join us in the comments. Thanks.

Story Credits: Consumertrics, internet, Thisday, Linkedin