Nigeria's President Jonathan Launches Re-election Campaign Amid Tensions

Strategic Insights -

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan kicked off his re-election campaign, vowing to complete his "transformation agenda" despite growing concerns over the country's security and economic challenges. The campaign, which included a mass rally in Lagos, was marked by heavy security presence, with soldiers and police searching the crowds. Jonathan, a 57-year-old southern Christian, is seeking a second four-year term and has pledged to continue his efforts to tackle corruption and Islamist insurgency.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Jonathan's re-election campaign has been marred by concerns over the country's security situation, with Boko Haram militants causing violence in the north-east.
  • Jonathan's campaign chief, Femi Fani-Kayode, has called his opponent, Muhammadu Buhari, a "great danger" for the unity of the country, accusing him of representing an "ugly past" and having a "shameful and disastrous" record in public office.
  • The main opposition APC has denounced Jonathan's presidency as a failure, highlighting his inability to end the Islamist insurgency and tackle corruption.
  • Nigeria is also reeling from a fall in global crude prices that has forced a revision of the 2015 budget estimates and a devaluation of the currency against the US dollar.
  • Jonathan's campaign has been marked by tensions, with the opposition accusing the government of harassment and intimidation, including a police raid on its offices and the teargassing of opposition MPs outside parliament last year.

Statistics:

  • 14 February: The date of the presidential election.
  • 57: The age of President Goodluck Jonathan.
  • 72: The age of Muhammadu Buhari, the APC opposition candidate.
  • 4: The number of times Buhari has stood for the presidency since 1999.
  • 18: The number of months that Buhari governing the country after ousting civilian president Shehu Shagari in a military coup in 1983.
  • 20,000 sq km: The area of Nigeria's land occupied by Boko Haram.

Sources:

  • Agence France-Presse (2023) "Nigeria's President Jonathan Launches Re-election Campaign Amid Tensions"
  • All Progressives Congress (APC) website. "Muhammadu Buhari: The Right Candidate for Nigeria"
  • Nigeria's electoral body website. "No plans to postpone election"