Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu will run for re-election in January, with the leader of Africa’s most populous nation set to be named his party’s candidate on Sunday.
After passing the formality of primaries for his All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu will be anointed the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential race at a ceremony in the capital Abuja in a conference centre bearing his name.
His primary victory was announced on Saturday evening, with the party hailing the process as proof of internal democracy. He faced off against a lone opponent, obscure businessman Stanley Osifo, who spent 100 million naira (around $73,000) for the right to stand against the president.
Tinubu’s APC controls 31 of the country’s 36 states, up from 21 in 2023, following a wave of defections to the ruling party.
Opposition parties to hold primaries
In his first term, which started in 2023, Tinubu passed a range of reforms intended to boost the economy and reassure international investors.
In the coming days, several opposition parties are set to hold primaries to choose who will bid to unseat the president in January.
