Nigeria: Preparations Stepped up For 2019 Presidential Election

As Nigeria gets set to elect its new leader on February 16, 2019, different political parties have been putting finishing touches to their electioneering strategies by choosing key members of their campaign teams and running mates. Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC has as running mate current Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Buhari on September 12, 2018 approved the appointment of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as the Director General of his 2019 re-election campaign organisation.

Amaechi was the Director General of the Buhari-Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Committee in 2014-2015 that won the election and brought the current administration into office. Amaechi, according to an APC statement, “will announce other appointments into the campaign structure as approved by President Buhari.” Rotimi Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State, is currently Minister of Transportation in the current administration.

On the other hand, the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has kick-started its presidential campaign for next year’s presidential election with the constitution of a presidential campaign council. Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is Director-General of PDP Presidential Campaign Council. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is the PDP presidential cand...