2023: SOME HIGHFLYING POLITICIANS WOULD BE MISSING

Recent has shown that there appears to be a new political order on the table. This may be or maybe not be connected with the emergence of a new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari in the person of Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari whose arrival seems to aid the survival of this new order, even as his silence or do we say quietness does not suggest so.

But political expert opines that "Gambari's gentlemanly approach through his silence since he assumed duties which suggest he prefers to be working behind the scene and probably not even heard could simply mean that, "power has changed hands hence the end of all struggles and shenanigans".

Gradually, the wheat is being shifted from the chaff. The jungle is maturing. The boys are being separated from the men. Dynasties are crumbling. Feared forces are fading. Reverred voices are going silent. Friendship is giving way for interest. The pure unpredictable nature of politics is manifesting.

Some politicians won't be relevant or very relevant come 2023. Events of the last one year starting from the general election of 2019 till date have relegated or still relegating some political gladiators to the background.

In those battles, we saw godsons fighting their godfathers to a standstill and most times it is the other way round, political godsons dislodging or even retiring there godfathers. Remember Abdullahi Ganduje vs Rabiu Kwankwaso saga or the Willie Obiano vs Peter Obi, what about Nyesom Wike vs Chibuike Amaechi, Theodore Orji vs Orji Uzor Kalu, and many more.

Some politicians will beat their chest to boast that they have retired this and that politicians or godfathers not knowing that they have equally been sent packing by happenings around them most of which they even dramatically orchestrated.

Looking across the 36 States, we will discover that there are new power blocs emerging politically. Most of these power blocs sprang up almost unnoticed. They emerged like bolts out of the blues. Others were products of political shenanigans and muscles flexing or power tussle leading to some form of political realignment.

This realignment occurs from three avenues. Internal wrangling which creates factions within party leaderships. It is either the national executives of a party who want to control the party machinery in a state, thus producing a governor or the party leadership within the state who are dissatisfied with the interference. It may also be a governor who wants to control state party structures and the state party leaders seek cover or protection from the national executives. This situation leads to the eventual hijack of the party or an emerging power that has outdone all by cashing on the advantage of any of these crises to grab hold of power.

For instance, the Edo and Ondo States scenario is throwing up a lot of variables which may end up seeing a new hold of power from the outside if, Godwin Obaseki  and Rotimi Akerodolu, the incumbent governors of these two states fails to have their people rally round them in their fast forthcoming election.

We have also seen something similar in Imo where Senator Hope Uzodinma is governor, it was initially the internal wrangling within the party over the choice of the successor of the former governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha that led to a coalition. The party had a crack and factions emerged. Enter Uzodinma from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He grabbed the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket and the rest like they say is history.

From Zamfara to Bayelsa, Oyo to Benue the story is not totally different. Those who have held onto power by the pull of their teeth were merely fortunate despite a very tough fight and together with the new power blocs scattered across the states; it is obvious that there could be a different political arrangements in 2023.

Political dynasties cum empires are being pulled down. It happened in Kwara. We witnessed it in Oyo. We saw it in Imo. It happened in Zamfara. Kano had its fair share of it and it is still building up and may snowball by the time 2023 comes. We are seeing the game being played in Edo. Indeed, it is a whirlwind if not a tsunami. It is still blowing with devastating impact and effect that will leave many stunned by the time it berths in 2023.

Though, there is the possibility of some "fallen" politicians rising up after picking up their pieces before 2023. But how many can fight back, given the desperation displayed by the power-thirsty bunch out there? Just a few, only a few can rise, and even if they do, they may not have the same ferocious force that saw them dwarf others before the new order came in their respective domains sweeping through.

Suffice this to mean that, it will be an open race come 2023. Race for the brave, Race for the ruthless, Race for the tough; Of course, it will be very tough and only the tough can survive the emerging force of the new Nigerian political jungle.

Many are already being consumed or devoured by these dangerous predators in the jungle. The masters of the jungle may even be eaten up in this dog eat dog scenario cum situation. May God spare our lives beyond 2023 to witness the next political drama.