Nigeria votes for a new president this week, with the latest polls predicting victory for opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar.
Known as “Mr Honesty,” Buhari “was elected four years ago on a wave of disgust at the perceived avarice of Goodluck Jonathan’s administration – but as he fights for a second term in Saturday’s election, his efforts to bring corruption under control are widely seen as a failure”, says The Guardian.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to Transparency International’s latest corruption perception index published last month, Nigeria has not improved significantly since he came to power.
“The lead-up to the elections has been marked by violence,” says CNN, “prompting warnings from the UK and US governments to say they would deny visas and likely prosecute those found inciting violence during the 16 February vote”.
On Sunday, Nigeria’s Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed two of its offices had been burned down in less than a week. The INEC did not say who was responsible for the fires, but it said it had notified the Acting Inspector General of Police on the “emerging trend of burning the electoral commissions' offices”.
Trailing in the polls, President Buhari has alleged that corrupt politicians planned to use laundered funds to buy voters during the election.
By contrast, “Buhari’s own enduring reputation as a “good man” of unimpeachable character is not matched by his main challenger, former vice-president Abubakar”, says the Guardian.
Popularly known as Atiku, he is seen as a good businessman capable of running and diversifying the economy to better utilize the country’s vast natural resource potential.
He has also successfully tapped into the youth vote with an emoji-based manifesto. Although in his seventies, in a country where the median age is 18 this has brought him to the brink of power.
-
Why ‘anti-Islam’ bikers are guarding Gaza aid sitesIn The Spotlight Members of Infidels MC, who regard themselves as modern Crusaders, among private security guards at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s voidFeature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War DepartmentFeature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Nigeria's 'baby factories': a hidden crisisUnder The Radar A secretive network sees women lured, locked up and forced to give birth for profit
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
