On Wednesday, 28th September, 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) finally blew the whstle for the official commencement of campaigns ahead of the 2023 elections. It was a sound that political parties, candidates, politicians and the electorate had been patiently waiting for to jump into the ring to battle for victory at the ballot. Beyond the fun fare and the motion that accompanied such event, it is incumbent on the electorate to be more intentional about who they want to hand over the mantle of leadership to come 2023. This is a very decisive moment that should not be treated with kid gloves.

Before the All Progressive Congress (APC) took over power from the PDP after 16 years of leading the nation by the latter, the country witnessed an avalanche of Infrastructural development, technological revolution, excellent international relationship with other democracies of the world, in addition to many democratic dividends founded on the ethos of good governance.

The Obasanjo's administration set the tone for a Nigeria that saw for the first time national integration and common interests where Nigerians irrespective of geopolitical differences came together to build a nation where everyone had a sense of belonging. Despite the administration 's short comings, it was worth commending for many of its blessing, especially in telecommunication renaissance.

After serving for eight years, Obasanjo handed over to the Late President Umar'u Musa Yaradua who put the final nail on the coffin of restiveness in the Niger Delta region through the granting of amnesty to repentant militants, as well as facilitating their training within and outside the country. It was a lone move that quieted the agitation and restiveness that characterized the Niger Delta region then. Though short-lived, but the deliverables occasioned by Yaradua 's excellent and humane leadership was top notch.

After Yaradua exited the planet, Goodluck Jonathan , still under the PDP launched a harvest of democratic dividends through several people -oriented policies that boosted the morale of the Nigerian Army to decimate the insurgency in the north eastern part of the country. His economic policies boosted Nigeria's economic strength on a global scale, and made ours the most viable economy in Africa.

While Jonathan was still strategizing to consolidate his achievement so far through a second term ticket, he was defeated by President Buhari's APC on the wings of so many unimaginable promises. Nigerians never asked the APC what changed the party was bringing to the table. All they wanted was change, and today, everyone is clamouring for another change.

Nigerians were promised to expect a bumper harvest, where one naira will equal one dollar, fuel sold as cheap as N40.00 per liter, Boko Haram crushed in 3 weeks, corruption fought to a standstill, all the four refineries revamped in four years, and many more. In the last count, none of the promises have been met. Instead, it is becoming worse by the day. Fuel which was sold at N89 per liter when Muhammadu Buhari took is "graciously" sold at N198 per liter. Exchange rate of dollar has reached an all time record of N550 or N600 , while corruption has been given an exalted position and even normalized in the country. None of the refineries is functional, while Buhari's government is busy building a refinery at Niger republic, an attempt to please a stranger at the expense of one's family. The Bible says such a man is worse than an infidel. Insecurity is not to be mentioned at all, as no where is safe in the country.

From 2015 till date, policies of the APC government have taken Nigeria 10 years backward. From the removal of fuel subsidy that Buhari never believed in until he took over power, to the ordination of corruption at an unprecedented dimension, as well as the never -imagined insecurity and wanton killings, Nigeria which has been described as a failed state is only the shadow of what it was when the PDP was at the helm of affairs at the center.

It is therefore glaringly clear that the APC government knows nothing about leadership, as the only success recorded in the last 7 years is to defend their abysmal failure through various press releases and mastering of the blame game.

The APC which has zero regard for the welfare of Nigerians, could not address the agitation of Nigerian lecturers, and instead of meeting their demands inorder for Nigerian students to go back to school, they focus on the next election by sacrificing the liberation of the next generation on the altar of irresponsibility. As it is, there is no hope from anywhere that things will change for the better, except power is taken back by the PDP.

Beyond sentiments, babies in the womb are already tired of the APC government. Prices of goods have sky rocketed, and hunger has taken over the land. Many families cannot afford one square meal a day, not to mention starting up a business in an already hostile economic environment created by the APC. The rate of suicide is unimaginable, as many businesses have folded up and several international brands relocating to other African countries, while we brag as the giant of Africa with nothing to show.

The signs are very clear that if we make the same mistake we made in 2015, we will be nothing more than the iconic Chinua Achebe's masterpiece "There was a Country".

It is now incumbent on Nigerians to throw their weights behind the PDP presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who is a celebral business tycoon who understands the economies of nations, and has what it takes to take us out of the current economic downturn.

With Governor UDOM Emmanuel as the chairman of the PDP presidential campaign council, leading well over 600 members on a mission to redeem and rescue Nigeria from collapse, we can be rest assured that there is hope for a better Nigeria under the PDP leadership.

Nigeria had never been reduced to a mere ant instead of giant like we have today, not even during the various military regimes. What we are experiencing today smacks of leadership cluelessness, crass incompetence, abysmal failure, irresponsibility and celebration of corruption.

Now that campaigns have begun, all those who yearn for the greatness of Nigeria should root for the Official Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nigeria and their candidates at all levels. The PDP is founded on the platform of social justice, national integration and the core principles of democracy.

The economic blueprint of the PDP presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is excellent enough to take Nigeria out of the economic mess the APC government threw us into, and position us back to the former position as number one economy in Africa, during Jonathan 's tenure. This is another chance to correct the mistake Nigerians made in 2015. The PDP is the redeeming umbrella that all Nigerians should pitch their tent in.

Richard Peters, Uyo