For the Nigerian youth, events around the #EndSARS protests have been the greatest eye-opener; sparking recent conversations around the 2023 presidential election on social media. The big question is who is most qualified to lead Nigeria in 2023? Even though Peter Obi is an important part of the discourse, it is interesting to note that the conversation is not business as usual – it has multifaceted angles to it with interesting views too.

Similar debates before the #EndSARS protest had mostly centred on the possibility of a Peter Obi candidacy for the 2023 presidential election. Mr Obi appeared to have gained much popularity among the youths as the most likely member of the political class worthy of the presidential seat due to the legacy he left as the former governor of Anambra. But it is beginning to look as though he may be losing the popularity he once had.

While some people are arguing that we should not be discussing a Peter Obi candidacy when we want APC and PDP out of the picture, others are pushing the Yoruba-Igbo narrative that says; “Really, you told Tinubu off just to push Obi?”

But should the 2023 presidential election be about tribal wars?

If ethnicity is still part of the criteria some of us are looking at in our ideal presidential candidate, we are probably not ready for the desired change we are hoping to achieve. Tribal wars won’t help the 2023 dream of sending old politicians home and birthing the Nigeria of our dreams.

Apparently, the change we desire in Nigeria will begin from a change in our mindset as regards the ethnicity of our ideal presidential candidate – it’s as simple as being the change we want to see.

With the divergent views, however, one thing that rings out loud is that Nigerian youths are seeking the way forward for a better Nigeria. But that’s definitely not going to happen without a competent candidate with all the right qualities driving the desired change, irrespective of ethnicity.

Uroupa Kiakubu