President Buhari to run for second term (Presidency)

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari will seek a second term in February 2019 elections, the presidency announced on Twitter on Monday.

The governor of Kaduna state had earlier tweeted that Buhari told the ruling party’s National Executive Committee of his intention to contest in the 2019 presidential elections.

Kaduna’s governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is one of Buhari’s key allies.

The 75-year-old took a three months sick leave in Britain last year, being treated for an undisclosed ailment, triggering accusations by opposition groups and other critics that he was unfit for office and that his administration was beset by inertia.

Many Nigerians jokingly call him “Baba Go-Slow”, though his supporters have given him the credit for Nigeria’s exit from recession in the second quarter of last year.

Buhari will seek his All Progressives Congress (APC) party’s presidential ticket to contest the 2019 elections, the presidency said on its Twitter account.

President MBuhari has just announced his intention to seek the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contest for a second term of Office in the 2019 elections.

— Presidency Nigeria (NGRPresident) April 9, 2018

The former general led a short-lived military regime that was overthrown in a coup in 1985.

In 2015, the northern Muslim defeated incumbent Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), riding a wave of popular resentment against widespread corruption and insecurity.