Nigeria: Tinubu launches reelection bid amid economic woes
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu formally launched his campaign for a second term on Saturday, facing significant economic challenges ahead of the January 2027 presidential election.
Africa's most populous country will hold its next presidential election in January 2027, with the campaign expected to focus on Nigeria's economy and security challenges. Tinubu, 74, sparked anger after taking power in 2023 by scrapping decades-long fuel subsidies, which has fueled Nigeria's inflation.
Economic defense
At a rally in the northwestern state of Kaduna, the incumbent president dismissed criticisms about his economic policies. "I hear my opponents talking about hunger and poverty. Who created it? They did," Tinubu said. "They created the hunger, they created the poverty. We are trying to eradicate it."
We have prosperity, consistency, growth, recovery and opportunity.
Security concerns
Nigeria continues to struggle with armed bandits and kidnappers. On Friday, gunmen killed at least 20 people in an attack on a village in the country's northeast. The nation has also been fighting a long-running jihadist insurgency, sparked by Boko Haram's 2009 uprising.
Political landscape
Tinubu's main challengers are expected to be former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former state governor Peter Obi. In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu only secured less than 36.6% of the valid votes cast, with Abubakar at 29% and Obi at 25.4%.
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