Bola Tinubu’s victory in Nigeria’s hard-fought presidential elections caps a three-decade political career during which he was lauded by allies for his management of the nation’s economic hub and linked to corruption.
(Bloomberg) — Bola Tinubu’s victory in Nigeria’s hard-fought presidential elections caps a three-decade political career during which he was lauded by allies for his management of the nation’s economic hub and linked to corruption.
The ruling All Progressives Congress candidate saw off challenges from Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party’s Peter Obi to win the Feb. 25 race to succeed Muhammadu Buhari. The vote was marred by glitches and allegations that the process was flawed, with the outcome likely to be challenged in court.
Tinubu, 70, studied accountancy in the US and worked for several multinational companies before entering politics in 1992 and opposing the country’s then-military dictatorship. After democracy was restored, he served as governor of Lagos for eight years before vacating the post in 2007 to his hand-picked successor. His backers credit him with turning the crime-ridden state into a powerhouse that would be one of Africa’s largest economies were it an independent country.
But the president-elect, who will take office in May after a three-month transition period, has also been dogged by graft allegations — which he denies — for most of his political career.
In 1993, he forfeited $460,000 to resolve a lawsuit in Chicago after US federal authorities said that bank accounts in his name held the proceeds of heroin trafficking. He was implicated in a recent lawsuit, in which it was alleged that when he was governor he secretly controlled a company that collects Lagos’ taxes and is entitled to 10% of the take. The firm last year reached an out-of-court settlement with its founder, who had filed the initial case.
On the eve of the last national elections in 2019, two armored bank vans were spotted entering Tinubu’s Lagos compound. The incident prompted him to deny using any money to purchase votes, a common practice in Nigeria, but told reporters: “If I have money, if I like, I give it to the people free of charge — as long as it is not to buy votes.”
Read more: Nigerian Ruling Party’s Bola Tinubu Wins Race for Presidency
Tinubu has been a key power broker in the APC since its creation in 2013 and helped propel Buhari to the presidency two years later. He secured the party’s presidential nomination by a landslide last year.
At rallies attended by Buhari, Tinubu praised the 80-year-old – who the constitution barred from seeking a third term – and pledged to build on his predecessor’s legacy. However, his slogan of “Renewed Hope” was viewed by analysts as an effort to distance his campaign from the record of the incumbent, who has overseen a deteriorating economy and worsening insecurity.
The next four years are set to be challenging ones for Tinubu, who will have to ward off a fiscal crisis and quash violence perpetrated by jihadists, secessionists and armed bandits across vast swathes of territory. His legitimacy is also likely to be perpetually challenged by the opposition who dispute the credibility of the election outcome, and he lacks nationwide support having won just 35.2% of the popular vote and a majority in a third of Nigeria’s states.
There’s also widespread scepticism about whether he’s healthy or energetic enough to do one of Africa’s most challenging jobs after he made a series of lackluster campaign appearances.
Read more: A $13 Billion Challenge Awaits Nigeria’s Newly Elected President
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