2023:

As Nigeria counts down to its 2023 Presidential elections, the political terrain in the country has become a mixture of so many moods with anxiety, excitement, fear, hope among others IS NOW the order of each passing day.

This is not far-fetched as the preparation for the 2023 election in Africa's most populous country has not been devoid of surprises typical of such an election.

With 18 candidates inclusive of one woman contesting for the number one seat, it is going to be a battle for the strong.

However, out of the 18 presidential candidates, just a few have gained prominence over time and are seen to be serious with their ambitions while the others seem to be there just for the statistics.

This edition of African Leadership magazine brings to you the major frontrunners who stand the most chance of clinching the votes of the electorates to occupy the most exalted political office in Nigeria, the Office of the President.

BOLA AHMED TINUBU.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu Popularly known as BAT or Jagaban is the Presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC. He was a two-time governor of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007 and also a former Senator representing Lagos West senatorial district during the third Republic.

Born on 28th March 1952, the 70-year-old who is riding on his past experiences as a former governor of Nigeria's commercial nerve centre, Lagos, is promising renewed hope for Nigerians.

Tinubu often referred to as the political strategist has been an active participant in Nigeria's political scene long before democracy and even after attaining democracy in 1999 continued to be relevant and has been able to maintain his status as one of the most influential politicians across all divides in the country

In 2013, he led the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, into a merger with the Congress for Progressive Change CPC, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the new PDP (nPDP), a faction of the then ruling PDP to form the All Progressives Congress APC, which ousted the PDP from power at the centre after 16 years and produced President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

Surrounded by so many controversies regarding his age, educational qualifications and health status, the Jagaban as he is fondly called is not deterred and believes that he is smart intelligent and has the wherewithal to tackle the challenges in Nigeria.

Atiku Abubakar

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the Presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party, PDP

The 76 year- old Adamawa-born politician served in the Nigeria Customs Service for 20 years rising to the rank of Deputy Director before he retired in April 1989.

In 1998, Abubakar joined the Peoples Democratic Party where he contested for and won the Adamawa State governorship.

However in 1999, Atiku was chosen as a running mate to PDP's presidential candidate, Olusegun Obasanjo whilst he (Atiku) was the governor-elect of Adamawa State, hence he had to let go of his governorship ambition.

He served in that capacity as Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007.

Also being an oldie in Nigeria's political terrain, come 2023, Atiku would be making his fifth appearance as a presidential candidate having unsuccessfully contested for the Office of President of Nigeria four different times between 2007 and 2019.

Peter Obi

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi is one of the surprises for the 2023 election.

Having been taunted as one without any political structure to withstand a presidential election, his support base has grown tremendously since he emerged as the flag bearer of the Labour Party

Before now, Obi was elected governor of Anambra state in Eastern Nigeria under the All Progressives Grand Alliance in 2006 after which he joined the PDP

He was the Vice presidential candidate of Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 election under the PDP, a party he left for the Labour Party just before PDP presidential primaries this year to actualise his ambitions.

Obi's candidacy which he says is built on prudence and accountability appeals to the young and social media-savvy Nigerians who see him as the messiah the country needs at such times as this.

He is popularly regarded as the unconventional politician who will help Nigerians take back their country from the crop of old politicians though he is also 61 years.

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

A two-time former governor of Kano State under the PDP from 1999 to 2003 and 2011 to 2015,Rabiu Kwankwaso is a popular politician, especially among the Northern electorates.

He left the PDP to help form the New Nigeria People's Party, NNPP as a means to fulfil his presidential ambition.

He was the first Minister of Defence in the fourth republic under President Olusegun Obasanjo and he held the post for four years between 2003 and 2007.

Having joined the APC in 2013, Kwankwaso ran for president under the All Progressive Congress party in 2015 but lost to Muhammadu Buhari in the party's primary after which he joined the PDP again.

After leaving the People's Democratic PDP in 2016, he re-joined it in 2018 and ran for president, losing to Atiku Abubakar in the party's primaries.

No doubt, Nigeria has quite a number of political heavyweights as candidates in the forthcoming elections but the overall decision lies in the votes of the electorates so whether it will be a win for the PDP, the NNPP, the LP or the APC, not only will time tell but the votes will also tell.

With 18 candidates inclusive of one woman contesting for the number one seat, it is going to be a battle for the strong

Whether you are considering starting a new business venture or just need a morale boost to keep up the hard work of running an existing business, quotations from successful entrepreneurs educates, informs and inspires. They help remind us that every successful entrepreneur faces hurdles, and their ability to overcome those hurdles makes them successful.

Here are top 10 nuggets of successful African entrepreneurs.

ALIKO DANGOTE, a Nigerian industrialist and founder of Dangote Group.

“Every morning when I wake up, I make up my mind to solve as many problems, before retiring home.”

TONY ELUMELU, a Nigerian economist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa, Transcorp and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

“Entrepreneurship means Africans no longer have to find a job or be trained to be employees. Instead, it will enable our young people to create their own jobs, become employers, and take charge of their futures, instead of letting the future happen to them. As an entrepreneur myself, I understand what it feels like to yearn for a lifeline, to hope for a 'big break', to look forward to enjoying some luck”

JOHANN RUPERT is a South African billionaire businessman and the chairman of the Swiss-based luxury-goods company Richemont and the South Africa-based company Remgro.

“As you start out in life, it is important that you know at least something about everything, but as you get older it is important that you know everything about something.”

ISABEL DOS SANTOS, Angolan businesswoman.

“I think there are a lot of people with family connections but who are actually nowhere. If you are hardworking and determined, you will make it and that's the bottom line. I don't believe in an easy way through.”

STRIVE MASIYIWA is the founder and executive chairman of diversified international Telecommunications, Media and Technology group, Econet Wireless

“Attitude determines your altitude, if you have a bad attitude, even if you are way up there, you will come crashing down, and if you are still trying to take off, a bad attitude, will keep you on the ground, revving your engines but going nowhere.”

MIKE ADENUGA is a Nigerian billionaire businessman. His company Globacom is Nigeria's second-largest telecom operator

“The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

CHRIS KIRUBI is a Kenyan businessman, entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist. He is a Director at Centum Investments, a business conglomerate.

“Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to failure. Every great success has always been achieved by fight, every winner has scars. The men who succeed are the efficient few; they are the few who have the ambition and will-power to develop themselves. So choose to be among the few today”

MOHAMMED DEWJI, Africa's youngest billionaire and CEO of METL.

“Business as usual will never lead to growth and development. Only through innovation and change will you see real progress!”

FOLORUNSHO ALAKIJA, Nigerian billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist. She is involved in the fashion, oil, real estate and printing industries.

“Dream big. There is nothing seen that wasn't imagined. There's no overnight success. You have to start by dreaming big and working towards your goal.”

HAKEEM BELO-OSAGIE is the chairman of Etisalat Nigeria, Nigeria's fourth largest mobile telecom.

“In today's world, paradoxically, it is the boldest action that is often the safest. Remaining where you are in a world that is changing so rapidly is, in fact, the most dangerous of all places to be in.”