Nigerian opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar announces candidacy

Former Nigerian presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has announced that he will be running again in next year's presidential elections.

This is the sixth time that Abubakar tries to capture the presidency after having lost in 2019 to current president Muhammadu Buhari.

"Presently Nigeria is a sinking ship, it must be rescued urgently. That is why I am happy to announce my candidacy for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under the platform of the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria", said the candidate to his supporters.

Security and the economy are key areas the candidate will focus on as the country grapples with a jihadist insurgency in the northeast.

"Under my presidency, I want to focus on 5 key areas: unity of Nigeria, security, economy, education and devolving more resources and powers to the federating units" promised Abubakar.

After two terms under Buhari, a Muslim from the north, many southerners say the presidency should rotate back to their region.

Under an unofficial deal among the political elites, Nigeria's presidency is expected to "rotate" between north and south, in a form of power-sharing bid to balance the mostly Muslim north and the predominantly Christian south.