Nigeria: ruling party’s candidate for next poll finally known

Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party on Wednesday appointed former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu as its candidate to run for president in elections scheduled for February 2023.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who cannot run again because he has served two terms, did not publicly endorse any of the 23 potential candidates present at a party meeting in Abuja.

The ruling party’s candidate will confront the main opposition candidate, the former VP Atiku Abubakar.

In his acceptance speech, Tinubu said if elected he would focus on reducing insecurity, a major concern in Nigeria. Other priorities would include boosting local industry and building a large port in the southeastern city of Calabar, he said.