THE 2015 general election is at least 18 months away, but the footwork and even campaigns towards it, especially in the presidency, have started both openly and surreptitiously.

And even when the present administration is yet to deliver on its promises, verbal expression of interest and display of posters reminding Nigerians of the elections have been in the air and on the walls in Abuja streets.

About six months ago, General Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2007 and 2011 presidential elections respectively, recanted his earlier position not to partake in the presidential election again, thereby throwing in his hat in a contest that was far away.

Sometime ago, posters of Vice President Namadi Sambo were noticed in parts of Kaduna State indicating his alleged presidential ambition; but the Sambo was swift in denying authorisation of the posers by people perceived to be his supporters.

Recent manoeuvrings and rumours have not stopped about that ambition, though no posters are known to be circulating in that regard, and the coming days would determine the authenticity of the ambition.

Also, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition is no secret, and that he intends to run again in 2015 is well known, as he is said to be already oiling and revamping his political machinery and structures.

Soon, posters to that effect will emerge; those in the know say meetings towards that had been and are being held across the country in whatever guise.

Sometime last year, posters bearing the name of Senate President David Mark also made the rounds on the streets of Abuja, although Mark quickly disclaimed them and their sponsors.

Over two years to the end of his first tenure, there are indications that President Goodluck Jonathan may have started testing the waters, directly or indirectly, with the emergence of posters in Abuja, saying: “One good turn deserves another.”

But the President had repeatedly insisted that 2015 was not yet on his mind, saying he was focused on delivering on his 2011 election promises.

His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, while disclaiming the posters and distancing the presidency from it, said Jonathan’s only attention at the moment was on how to fulfill his given mandate.  Abati added that the president would not allow himself to be distracted by the politics of 2015.

In May last year, following rumours of Jonathan’s intention to seek re-election in 2015, the presidency said through a statement that the rumour of 2015 was nothing but diversionary. The statement reads: “The pointless, diversionary and very distractive hue and cry about the president’s alleged ambition to seek a second term in office is becoming increasingly disturbing by the day…

“For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, President Jonathan wishes to reiterate that his primary concern and the focus of all his efforts now, just about a year into the four-year tenure for which he was elected in April 2011, is to deliver on his promise of positive national transformation.

“Nothing could be farther from President Jonathan’s mind at this point in time than the 2015 elections.

“The president has definitely not directed or authorised any individual or group to launch any campaign on his behalf. As he has repeatedly warned on many occasions, including the last national convention of the PDP, the inordinate ambition of a few self-centred Nigerians and their obsession with the politics of political succession in 2015 must not be allowed to distract the nation and its current leadership from the task of dealing with the much more urgent issues of development and the safety of Nigerians in all parts of the country.”

Many Nigerians believe it is too early and indeed a distraction for politicians, or even Jonathan, to be involved in the politics of 2015 when he has little to show for the mandate he is enjoying now.

But former Director General of the defunct Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS), Prof. Omo Omoruyi, thought otherwise. According to him, there was nothing wrong if the president decided to start his 2015 campaigns now.

Omoruyi told a national daily in an interview in Benin, the Edo State capital, that it was not too early for Jonathan to start his re-election campaign, as campaign starts with the end of an election.

Omoruyi faulted those condemning the president’s perceived intention to seek a second term.

“Why will he not contest? Constitutionally, is he not qualified to contest? If yes, then, his performance will be judged by the people and not him.

“When people said, ‘ah, there are posters here and there,’ it is even too late. Why is it too early? Haven’t you seen what is going on in the United States (US)? The man (President Barack Obama) will be sworn in on January 20, this year and the Republicans are already looking for an alternative to him. Within the Democratic Party, they are looking for somebody who would replace him.

“So, it is not too early because election starts once election is conducted. You do not wait. I have said it that in first year, you are busy trying to plant something. Second year, it must germinate. Third year is a nomination year and this is nomination year. So, what is so early in it?

“We are gradually going to the nomination year now and if he cannot put an end to those seeking to replace him within the PDP in the third year, he should forget it.

“If he cannot stop those seeking to replace him from within the PDP in the third year, he should forget it,” Omoruyi said.

But the buildup to the 2015 Presidency is already gathering momentum, in spite of the belief in some quarters that it is too early.

The controversial posters, with a bold picture of the president had the following inscriptions: “2015: No vacancy in Aso Rock. Let’s do more”; “One good term deserves another: support Dr. Goodluck Azikiwe Jonathan for 2015 presidency,” first surfaced on public facilities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on New Year Day and soon spread to satellite towns.

The emergence of the posters has led to verbal spat between the opposition political parties and the PDP.

Curiously, while Abati insisted the recent posters did not originate from Jonathan, and urged Nigerians to take the president for his word and ignore any other information to the contrary, he revealed, however, that the president would not take any measure to halt further display of the posters, as the posters do not have the names of those promoting it.

Abati said: “Those pasting the posters are trying to express their own view. The president had stated that he would talk about his re-election in 2014. Those doing these do not have the consent of the president.

“We do not know those behind the posters. So, the president cannot do anything. Our appeal is that those behind this should allow the president to concentrate on the job at hand.

“The president’s main pre-occupation now is to continue to provide service and quality leadership.”

PDP through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, added its voice, saying the party had nothing to do with the posters and doubted the possibility of the president authorising the posters, as “he couldn’t possibly be involved in such things at this point in time.”

Metuh, however, stated that the party would not query the president over the issue since he had disassociated himself from it, just as he warned its members not to see the development as an opportunity to start printing and pasting posters of other presidential aspirants, saying “the time for that has not come. When it comes, we will inform our members.”

Observers are of the view that even though it may not be wrong for the president or any other politician to start campaigning for 2015 now, such campaigns would achieve nothing for the nation but distractions from the core aim of governance and strategies to overcome the myriad of challenges bedeviling the nation: Erratic power supply, insecurity, soaring unemployment rate, corruption, asphyxiated economy, poor quality healthcare service, ruptured educational system among others.

They added that there was a moral burden on the president and other politicians eyeing Aso Rock in 2015 to fix the country first before striving to start campaigning.

The CPC, ANPP, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and other political parties, more than anything else, are worried over the ‘No vacancy in Aso Rock in 2015’ phrase in the posters.

CPC’s National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, said: “In the light of the foregoing statement, we are compelled to ask some pertinent questions: Is this the language of democratic practice? Is there not a fundamental defect in our political system where supposed leaders transform into monsters?

“Have we not trodden this pathway before in which another leader of the same political stock as this president declared an election a ‘do-or-die’ process?

“Is the president likely to shed off civility and put on the garb of African leaders —- in recent history —- who have shown desperation in their final descent from power?

“Is this a feverish response from the presidency to the impending merger of the major opposition parties? Is this a way of unduly overheating the polity, as an excuse for unleashing a very capricious onslaught on the opposition?”

His ANPP counterpart, Emma Eneukwu, said: “There is nothing wrong in President Jonathan displaying his posters for 2015 presidential election. Maybe he feels that he has done well enough to test his popularity in the country again.

“But Nigerians won’t be fooled the second time. The sentiment of ‘fresh air”, which was apparently his campaign slogan in 2011, turned out to be very hot air suffocating Nigerians. Jonathan has little occupying his mind but a second term. Nigerians are watching.”

Obviously, scheming, realignment of forces and posturing for the 2015 (presidential) election have been ongoing right from the last election in 2011; perhaps that the current drama involves the name and person of the President less than two years into his current tenure and over two years to the election is the issue for those crying foul.

And perhaps it is the fact that most Nigerians feel the President’s tenure is yet to deliver that is raising some people’s temperature.

But seriously, is the current fuss over the posters not a distraction by its authors and sponsors?

Most Nigerians, from public reactions to the issue, appear to believe that it is.