Inside the Nigerian Elections: What You Need to Know
Political tensions are rising in Nigeria as the country prepares for another round of
elections, and the country is bracing itself for a hotly contested race.
On February 25th, Nigerians will vote for Muhammadu Buhari's successor.
The two major parties are represented by political veterans Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, but
relative outsider to presidential politics, Peter Obi is gaining traction, making it a
three-man race.
In this video, we will examine the hypothetical matchup between three prominent candidates:
Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress or the APC party, Peter Obi of the Labour
Party, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party or the PDP, and what it means for Nigeria.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a former Lagos State Governor and one of Nigeria's most powerful
politicians.
He is a founding member of the APC party, which was founded in 20 13 and has since become
a major force in Nigerian politics.
Tinubu's popularity in the country stems from his success as a former governor and his influence
in Nigeria's South-West region.
Peter Obi, on the other hand, is a former Anambra State governor and a leading member
of the Labour Party.
He is widely regarded as one of Nigeria's most competent and efficient governors, and
his track record of success in Anambra State has earned him a strong following in Nigeria's
South-East region.
Atiku Abubakar is a former Vice President of Nigeria and a member of the PDP.
He has been active in Nigerian politics for decades, and he has run for president several
times, most recently in the 20 19 elections.
Abubakar's popularity in Nigeria stems from his government experience and promises to
address Nigeria's economic and security challenges.
These three candidates however have not been without their fair share of criticism, Mr
Tinubu, who served as governor of Nigeria's richest state, Lagos, for two terms, is likely
the most talked-about candidate on the ballot.
There have been numerous debates about his age, name, health status, work profile, and
the authenticity of his university diploma, but the source of his wealth has received
the most scrutiny.
Although there are no official records, many believe Mr. Tinubu, 70, is one of Nigeria's
wealthiest politicians.
The most visible manifestation of his wealth is a mansion in the Ikoyi neighborhood of
Lagos, an affluent part of Nigeria's commercial hub.
On election day in 20 19, onlookers witnessed two armoured vehicles, similar to bullion
vans used by banks to transport cash, driving through his gates.
His aides denied any involvement in vote-buying in the aftermath.
According to publicly available documents, the US Department of Justice claimed that
beginning in early 19 88, accounts opened in the name of Bola Tinubu held the proceeds
of sales of white heroin, a prohibited substance.
Kevin Moss, the special agent in charge of the investigation, claimed that Mr. Tinubu
worked for their main suspect, Adegoboyega Akande.
According to the agent, Mr. Tinubu initially admitted to him over the phone that he knew
Mr. Akande, but later recanted and stated that he had no financial dealings with him.
While the court agreed that there was reason to believe the money in the bank accounts
was the proceeds of drug trafficking, Mr. Tinubu and the others denied the allegations,
and the court never issued a final ruling on the money's origins.
Instead, Mr. Tinubu, who was not charged personally with the money, reached a compromise with
the authorities and forfeited 460,000 dollars.
Mr. Tinubu has always denied any involvement in the drug trade, and his spokesman, Festus
Keyamo, stated that the funds forfeited were part of a civil forfeiture rather than a criminal
one.
He also reached an out-of-court settlement with accountant Oladapo Apara, who had a falling
out with Mr Tinubu, last year.
Mr. Apara was a founder of Alpha Beta Consulting, which was founded during Mr Tinubu's tenure
as governor and was awarded a lucrative contract to track taxes in Lagos state, which it still
holds.
According to the accountant, Mr. Tinubu had a 70% controlling interest in the company
through proxies, and the firm received a 10% commission on revenues collected, which he
estimated to be 3.48 billion dollars between 2002 and 20 18.
Mr. Tinubu denies this, claiming that he is not paid commissions on taxes collected by
the Lagos State government.
Mr. Apara claims he was fired from the firm in 20 10 after alleging that some funds had
been misappropriated, prompting him to launch a lengthy legal battle to seek redress.
He claimed he could not be fired as the firm's founder and demanded compensation from Mr.
Tinubu, resulting in a court case in 20 21.
He also tweeted in September 20 18 that he had written to Nigeria's financial-crime regulator,
accusing Alpha Beta of tax evasion - the actual letter that accompanied the tweet, which detailed
the allegations, has since been deleted from his account.
Alpha Beta denied the allegations and claimed that Mr. Apara was fired for fraud, which
he denied.
Mr. Tinubu has consistently denied any affiliation with the firm, but he was a party to an undisclosed
settlement between Alpha-Beta and Mr. Apara last June, which resulted in the parties'
claims against each other being settled.
Mr. Tinubu was questioned by the BBC about the settlement, the U.S allegations, and his
wealth, but he did not respond to a request for comment.
The other candidate, Mr. Abubakar touts himself as the most experienced candidate on the ballot,
having served as vice-president from 19 99 to 2007 - a period that has sparked some controversy.
Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo accused him of stealing 145 million dollars from the Petroleum
Technology Development Fund in 2003.
Mr. Obasanjo, who is not afraid to publicly criticize other politicians, dedicated a chapter
in his 20 14 book My Watch to the alleged transgressions of his former deputy.
Mr Abubakar denied the allegations, claiming that 145 million dollars was placed in commercial
banks to earn interest so that it could be reinvested in Petroleum Technology Development
Fund projects.
The 76-year-old said his first source of income was farming and property ownership in his
home state of Adamawa.
A former customs officer, he said that he recognised early in life that he had "a good
nose for money".
He established an oil-servicing firm in the 19 80s, catapulting him into the world of
the wealthy.
Opponents claim he is breaking the law by engaging in private business other than farming.
Mr. Abubakar's spokesperson described his venture as a small business that many government
employees engage in, such as using their car as a taxi or setting up a shop in front of
their house to support their families.
"He only invested his earnings in order to earn interest.
He was not engaged in any other form of private work, as you imply "According to Paul Ibe
of the BBC.
A US Senate committee report from 20 10 claimed that between 2000 and 2008, Mr. Abubakar transferred
more than 40 million dollars in "suspect funds" into the US through one of his four wives.
According to the report, at least 1.7 million dollars of this came from bribes paid by Siemens,
a German technology company that pleaded guilty to bribery charges in 2008 and agreed to pay
a 1.6 billion dollar fine.
He was also a key figure in the corruption trial of former US Congressman William Jefferson,
who was described as "really corrupt" in a Senate report and said he needed money to
bribe him to approve a US company's business deals in Nigeria.
Mr Jefferson was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 13 years in prison, a sentence that was
later reduced.
Mr. Abubakar has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, and neither he nor his now-divorced wife is
facing criminal charges in the United States.
"Atiku Abubakar is not on trial for corruption or any other wrongdoing in Nigeria or anywhere
else," Mr. Ibe stated.
"He can only be declared unfit for public office if he is charged in a court of law.
That is not the case."
And then, there’s of course Peter Obi, who has also served two terms as governor - in
his case in Anambra state's eastern region does not hide his enormous wealth, which he
claims was amassed through banking and the importation of various goods into Nigeria.
Many were surprised when his name appeared in the Pandora Papers in 20 21, dubbed "Mr
Clean" by his supporters for being a rare Nigerian politician without accusations of
embezzling public funds.
This was a leak of nearly 12 million documents that revealed the world's rich and powerful's
hidden wealth, tax evasion, and, in some cases, allegations of money laundering.
One of the newspapers involved in the Pandora Papers investigation, Nigeria's Premium Times,
claimed that the documents revealed that in 20 10, when Mr. Obi was governor of Anambra,
he established a company named after his daughter in the British Virgin Islands to help him
avoid tax.
While using a tax haven is not illegal, opening foreign bank accounts while serving as a public
officer is not.
The Premium Times claimed that this demonstrated Mr. Obi's failure to declare his assets, as
well as his failure to resign from the UK-registered company Next International, of which he was
a director when he became governor - engaging in private business, which is prohibited for
public officers.
His resignation became effective 14 months into his term.
The 61-year-old has never been charged in connection with the revelations.
Mr. Obi told the BBC that in 2006, an impeachment trial looked into allegations about his business
dealings and found he had acted legally.
He also stated that he had set up a blind trust to oversee his business affairs, including
the family's offshore holdings.
"A blind trust is permissible under the law," he explained.
Mr. Obi has also been accused of having a conflict of interest after investing 20 million
dollars of state funds in a brewery in which his family owns shares through Next.
He denies the allegations, claiming that the investment has benefited Anambra greatly over
the years.
Anambra's investment in Fidelity Bank, where he was once chairman, has also been criticized.
"Anambra state invested in Fidelity Bank, where I have interests, because it is a publicly
traded company," he told the BBC, dismissing any suggestion that the financial revelations
cast doubt on his fitness for office.
As the election draws nearer to its penultimate end, one can only say it’s truly an election
of choosing the better of three evils as Nigeria has had to grow accustomed to since its independence.
As the three candidates prepare for the highly anticipated election, their policies and strategies
are being scrutinized.
Tinubu is running on an economic reform and job creation platform, promising to address
Nigeria's unemployment crisis and revitalize the country's struggling economy.
He is also an outspoken supporter of decentralization and state rights, which has earned him the
support of many Nigerians who feel marginalized by the central government.
Peter Obi is focusing on social justice and equality, promising to address Nigeria's growing
inequality gap and fight corruption.
He has emphasized the importance of improved education and healthcare systems, and if elected,
he has promised to increase funding for these sectors.
Atiku Abubakar is campaigning on a platform of economic development and growth, promising
to create jobs, modernize infrastructure, and attract foreign investment to Nigeria.
He has also promised to improve security and address the insurgency in Nigeria's northeast.
The blockbuster meeting of these three candidates has sparked heated debate in Nigeria, with
many Nigerians split on who would make a better president.
Some regard Tinubu as a strong and decisive leader with the experience and political acumen
to guide Nigeria in the right direction.
Others regard him as a symbol of the corruption and political elite that have long held Nigeria
back.
Regardless of who wins the high decisive matchup, the Nigerian people are clearly hungry for
change and eager to see their country progress.
The Nigerian elections are a watershed moment for the country, with far-reaching consequences
for the entire continent.
While the rest of the world watches and waits, the Nigerian people must decide who will lead
them into a brighter future.
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And as always see you in the next video.