Would Donald Trump Be Able To Win the Presidential Election In Nigeria?

The just-concluded U.S presidential election took the world by storm; from former President Trump's refusal to concede defeat to the overthrow of Capitol Hill by pro-Trump protesters.

Nigerians on social media and in the diaspora couldn't help but liken Trump to Nigerian politicians. This is because it has become a norm for Nigerian politicians to refuse to concede political defeat but that's not where the similarities end. Like Trump, some of these politicians incite their followers directly or subtly to force the hands of the legal system, electoral commission, and opposition through violence.

While Africans are familiar with this sort of dirty politics, many Nigerians couldn't help but express thoughts on social media on how far Donald Trump would go if he were to be a Nigerian Politician. The question then is, would Donald Trump be able to win the presidential election in Nigeria if he were a Nigerian? 

Currently in Nigeria, it's hard to win any election if you don't have godfathers and cult-like followers. Still, there are exceptions to this case scenario. There are politicians whose presidential agendas make them popular with the people. These politicians are lucky to come in times when the people are yearning for a radical transformation of the country.

An example is President Buhari who came into power with a presidential agenda for 'change'. After years of failing to win several electoral campaigns, the stage was finally set. Nigerians were tired of the indiscriminate corruption of the then Jonathan administration and the growing security challenges. President Buhari with his previous military background seemed to be the perfect candidate who would restore order and financial discipline to the country.

Today, many more Nigerians are discontented with President Buhari's administration, the uncontrollable incidents of domestic terrorism, political terrorism, and a worsening economy. So, we can confidently say that the stage is also set for another Presidential candidate whose presidential agendas are truly pro-Nigeria and pro-Nigerians.

For now, no current politician fits this role as much as Donald Trump. Even some of his political opponents in the United States agree that his policies were pro-America. That is, the policies were aimed at returning America in every sense to the world power it used to be.

I dare say that Nigerians would be swept away by Donald Trump's patriotism and policies such as the restoration of the economy, increased employment opportunities, the protection of National trade, and a hard-line stance on terrorism.

These are policies Nigerians are hoping to see their government implement and most Nigerians are aware that it would take a tough and patriotic leader to make such policies come alive. The tough and sometimes termed 'stubborn' Trump who is not afraid to step on toes would win the confidence of the Nigerian people.

It doesn't matter if he has no godfathers, his personality would easily attract dedicated followers in Nigeria. This would be similar to the cult-like followers who stormed Capitol Hill in the U.S. In the Nigerian scenario, these followers would likely be patriotic Nigerians and the 'woke' Nigerian youths who made the country standstill a few months ago because of the nationwide protest against police brutality.

In conclusion, it wouldn't be shocking to see Donald Trump emerge as the winner of the Presidential election in Nigeria. If current President Buhari could achieve a historical win over former President Jonathan without a godfather, so would Donald Trump. It really would be an interesting presidential era for Nigeria as it was for the United States, probably better as Nigerians are not asking for too much.