An intense political sequence in Nigeria, while the two main parties are currently choosing their candidates for the posts of deputies, senators, governors and especially for the supreme office, the presidency of the most populous country in Africa whose elections are scheduled for February 2023. This Saturday, May 28, it is the PDP, the opposition, which will open its congress in Abuja, closely followed, from Sunday, by the APC, the ruling party.
With our correspondent in Lagos, Liza Fabbian
The unrest is at its height in Abuja, shortly before this weekend of primaries for the Nigerian presidential election. But the country’s political future is also being played out in the regions, where candidates for governorships are beginning to emerge, already giving some indications of the dynamics at work within the parties.
This weekend, delegates will be at work in Abuja. These local representatives are the only ones entitled to vote during the indirect primaries of the two parties. They number 2,000 for the APC and a thousand for the PDP.
Candidates decided by the delegates
That system has given rise to surreal scenes at the local level in recent days, when disappointed gubernatorial candidates have sought to claw back the money they paid to delegates supposed to vote for them. This system also gives a lot of power to the governors in place, since they have a great influence on the choice of delegates.
Despite the criticisms, and an attempt at an amendment, it will be these representatives who will decide between the candidates of the two parties this weekend. The favorites are the former Governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu for the APC and the perennial Abubakar Atiku who wants to compete for the sixth time for the PDP. Among the other candidates, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi declared themselves for the ruling APC.
►To read: Nigeria: the parties are struggling to organize themselves to choose their presidential candidate