Nigeria: who to face Muhammadu Buhari during the presidential election?

The members of the PDP register, Saturday, October 6, 2018 in Port Harcourt, voting for the one he wants to run for the presidency in 2019.

Nigerian President Buhari will be running for his own succession in 2019. He was nominated on Saturday (October 6th) by his party, the APC. All eyes are turned to Port Harcourt where are held this weekend also the primary of the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is expected to elect this week-end in its primaries whoever will wear his colors in the presidential election. Delegates from all federal states choose in Port Harcourt, southern Nigeria, who will face President Muhammadu Buhari in February 2019. Unsurprisingly, the current head of state has indeed been appointed Saturday night in Abuja by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to run for a second term as head of the country.

Out of 12 candidates for the main opposition party, two men are among the favorites: the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, 71, northerner, and the current Senate president, Bukola Saraki, 55, from South.

The two rivals were at the party in power before turning around to join the ranks of the opposition and try their luck. Both have the priority of “restructuring the economy quickly”, a central issue in the debates surrounding the primary.

It remains to be seen whether the PDP, which remained in power between 1999 and 2015, will be able to reinvent itself as a real opposition force.

Though the sketchy news coming up indicated that Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the flag bearer of PDP.