Niger: More than a dozen to vie for presidential elections

A dozen of candidates have submitted their application for the presidential race in Niger

More than a dozen candidates are expected to challenge Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou in February’s election.

Among the candidates include the country’s first democratically elected President Mahamane Ousmane who was ousted in a coup in 1996 and Hama Amadou, a former prime minister and parliament speaker

Others include Amadou Boubacar Cisse, Abdou Labo and Cheiffou Amadou who served in Niger’s cabinet in the past.

Local media reported that most of the applicants had submitted their applications before Saturday’s deadline.

Issoufou was first elected in 2011 in a vote organised by a military junta which in 2010 overthrew president Mamadou Tandja, who was seeking to stay in power beyond the two-term limit set by Niger’s constitution.