Africa’s Biggest Oil Producer Has a New Presidential Contender

(Bloomberg) -- Kayode Fayemi, an influential Nigerian governor, joined a list of at least two dozen people running for president of Africa’s biggest oil producer and largest economy in elections scheduled for February.

Current and former lawmakers and governors, ex-party bosses and political godfathers are all vying for the chance to succeed outgoing term-limited President Muhammadu Buhari. Two men -- they are almost certainly going to be men -- will emerge as the top contenders by the beginning of next month after the two major parties hold primaries. 

Here is a rundown of the most-prominent politicians competing for the nomination of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

All Progressives Congress

Bola Tinubu

The former governor of Lagos state, 70, is the most powerful politician in Nigeria’s commercial hub and has been national leader of the ruling APC since the party’s creation in 2013. His influence helped propel Buhari to the presidency two years later. Tinubu has long had his eye on the top job -- many of his supporters believe it’s finally his turn. The southern Muslim was the first candidate to declare and has been campaigning since January.

Yemi Osinbajo

The lawyer, 65, has served as Buhari’s vice president since 2015. An attorney general of Lagos state under Tinubu, Osinbajo’s campaign is viewed as an act of betrayal by his former mentor’s camp. The part-time Pentecostal pastor is a favorite of the Lagos business elite for his pro-market views. But he will have to navigate his association with the country’s declining oil production, a weakening currency and rocketing debt service costs under Buhari.

Rotimi Amaechi

The transport minister, 56, has prioritized rebuilding the nation’s dilapidated railways. While Amaechi has recorded achievements, notably the completion of a new standard-gauge line between Lagos and Ibadan, he has become increasingly exasperated by the government’s slow progress finalizing loans for the projects. As governor of the oil-producing Rivers state in southern Nigeria for eight years from 2007, his defection from the former ruling party alongside five other governors provided a major boost to the nascent APC.

Kayode Fayemi

The governor of Ekiti state in southwestern Nigeria, 57, chairs an influential association that represents the interests of the country’s 36 state governors. Before moving into mainstream politics, Fayemi was a founder and director of one of West Africa’s best-known civil society organizations, the Center for Democracy and Development.

Yahaya Bello

The governor of the central Kogi state, 46, is a youthful contender by Nigerian standards. He came to office as a political novice in 2015 when the APC’s first choice died suddenly shortly after the vote. Bello, whose profile has grown since re-election four years ago, has urged Nigerians against receiving Covid-19 vaccinations.

Yet to declare, but rumored to run

• Godwin Emefiele: The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, 60, was appointed by Buhari’s predecessor but has become one of the most powerful players in the current administration.
• Goodluck Jonathan: The former president, 64, was cast into opposition by the APC’s election victory in 2015 but speculation is rampant that he could defect to his former adversaries.
• Adams Oshiomole: The former chairman of the APC, 70, was previously the governor of the southern Edo state and president of one of Nigeria’s largest labor union organizations.
• Ahmad Lawan: Elected president of the Senate for Buhari’s second term, the 63-year-old has worked in relative lockstep with the president, in high contrast to his predecessor, who is running for the opposition ticket.

People’s Democratic Party

Atiku Abubakar

The wealthy 75-year-old, who was the main opposition candidate that lost to Buhari in 2019, is back for another run. Since serving as Olusegun Obasanjo’s vice president for eight years after the restoration of democracy in 1999, Abubakar has unsuccessfully sought to go one better in each of the past four elections. He even briefly joined the APC and challenged Buhari for the nomination ahead of the 2015 vote. Abubakar said during the last campaign that he would privatize the state energy company.

Aminu Tambuwal

The 56-year-old governor of Sokoto state ran for the PDP ticket in 2019 against Abubakar and lost. He was speaker of the House of Representatives and like many prominent politicians has bounced back and forth between the major parties. Tambuwal represents a core northern state and has an advantage in the most-populous part of the country, which carried Buhari to victory twice and has previously produced far higher turnout than southern Nigeria.

Nyesom Wike

The outgoing governor of the crude-rich Rivers state, 58, is a vocal critic of Buhari and the APC who has called for the decentralization of the security agencies and revenue raising powers. A former chief of staff to Amaechi, Wike stuck with the PDP when his predecessor joined the newly founded APC and has become one of the most prominent figures within the party.

Peter Obi

The 60-year-old, who was Abubakar’s running mate in the last election, served two terms as the governor of Anambra state. A former presidential adviser and bank chairman, Obi is promoting his business experience as an antidote to Nigeria’s economic challenges and seeking to become the first president from the southeast of the country.

Bukola Saraki

The former governor of the central Kwara state, 59, had an acrimonious relationship with Buhari as president of the Senate from 2015 to 2019 when he was regularly accused of frustrating the executive. Saraki returned to the PDP shortly before the last election and was beaten to the party’s nomination by Abubakar.

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