Nigerians went to the polls today to elect their next president, as Buhari’s tenure came to an end.
According to the Nigerian constitution, the current President Muhammadu Buhari’s term will end after eight years of two-term presidential tenure.
There are 18 candidates in the race, but according to polls, only three have emerged as front-runners.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fielded a 70-year-old former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has endorsed 76-year-old Atiku Abubakar. Atiku has previously run for president five times and lost each time.
As a result, the outcome of the Nigerian elections will almost certainly have an impact on Kenya’s strategic interests in the region, continent,and international system.
Because the incumbent has reached his constitutional term limit, this election will undoubtedly result in a new president.
The election will reshape Kenya’s relations with Nigeria and the West African states. Given that a new president will be in office, or, in the worst-case scenario, conflict fears, existing relations between the two countries may be re-oriented.
Elections in most African countries are frequently accompanied by political uncertainty, which can result in drastic changes in policy, such as previous contracts or agreements and projects stalling or being re-examined under a new administration.
