Nigerian general election, 2019

Nigerian general election, 2019
Election name	Nigerian general election, 2019
Country	Nigeria
Type	presidential and legislative
Previous election	Nigerian general election, 2015
Previous year	2015
Next election	Nigerian general election, 2023
Next year	2023
Election date	16 February and 23 February 2019

Nigerian general election, 2019 The 2019 national elections in Nigeria were a series of presidential elections, House of Representatives contests, and Senate of Nigeria races held across the Federal Republic of Nigeria in February 2019. The electoral process involved major figures such as Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku Abubakar, Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Yemi Osinbajo, and institutions including the Independent National Electoral Commission, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Economic Community of West African States, and the United Nations. Observers from bodies like the European Union Election Observation Mission, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the African Union monitored the poll widely.

Background

Before the vote, Nigeria experienced political shifts linked to leaders such as Bola Tinubu, Ibrahim Babangida, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, and Shehu Shagari, and legacies from the Nigerian Civil War era influenced regional alignments in the Niger Delta, Kano State, Lagos State, and Katsina State. Security challenges involved groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State's West Africa Province, and Mujahideen, affecting voting in Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State, and parts of Niger State. Economic debates referenced institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and African Development Bank. Civil society organizations including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Transition Monitoring Group, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International raised concerns about voter registration, displacement, and Internally displaced persons camps in Maiduguri and Damaturu.

Electoral system and reforms

Presidential elections used the two-round system defined under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, administered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led then by Professor Mahmood Yakubu. Legislative elections for the National Assembly of Nigeria combined plurality voting in single-member constituencies for the House of Representatives and Senate of Nigeria. Reforms and controversies involved technologies like the Permanent Voter Cards and the planned use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), contested by political actors such as Adams Oshiomhole, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola. Judicial rulings by the Court of Appeal (Nigeria) and the Supreme Court of Nigeria shaped candidacy disputes among figures including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, and Wike Nyesom. International agreements and protocols from the Economic Community of West African States and the United Nations Security Council framed election security cooperation.

Campaigns and major parties

Major parties included the All Progressives Congress, led in campaign prominence by Muhammadu Buhari, Yemi Osinbajo, and Bola Tinubu, and the Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria), whose ticket featured Atiku Abubakar and running mate Peter Obi. Smaller parties with notable nominees included the All Progressives Grand Alliance with Victor Umeh affiliates, the Labour Party (Nigeria) with supporters of Peter Obi allies, and the Social Democratic Party (Nigeria). Campaigns saw rallies in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Jos, and Kano, with endorsements or criticisms from personalities such as Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Nuhu Ribadu, and Ibrahim Magu. Media platforms—Nigerian Television Authority, Channels Television, Arise News, The Guardian (Nigeria), Daily Trust, and ThisDay—covered debates on fuel subsidy removal issues tied to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and taxation policies discussed with input from Chukwuma Soludo and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Conduct of the election

INEC delayed the presidential vote from 16 to 23 February for logistical reasons announced by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, prompting responses from Atiku Abubakar, Muhammadu Buhari, Amnesty International, and the European Union Election Observation Mission. Security deployments involved the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, and Department of State Services, with operations coordinated by officials like Mohammed Adamu and Tukur Buratai. Election day reports referenced ballot access in constituencies affected by Boko Haram and disputes over accreditation devices reported by party agents including representatives of All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria). Observers such as the Commonwealth of Nations delegation, the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, and the African Union issued statements on transparency, while civil society groups like the Transition Monitoring Group documented incidents of violence in locations including Rivers State, Bayelsa State, and Delta State.

Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission announced that Muhammadu Buhari won re-election with a majority of votes and sufficient geographic spread to avoid a runoff, defeating Atiku Abubakar. Congressional results saw the All Progressives Congress retain significant numbers of seats in the Senate of Nigeria and the House of Representatives, while the Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria) and other parties including the All Progressives Grand Alliance and Labour Party (Nigeria) made gains in various states such as Lagos State, Kaduna State, Rivers State, Anambra State, Enugu State, and Oyo State. Prominent winners included returning senators such as Ibrahim Gaidam allies and challengers like Bukola Saraki's Senate leadership contest aftermath. Vote tallies were debated in tribunals including suits filed at the Election Petition Tribunal and ultimately appealed to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in cases brought by parties and candidates such as Atiku Abubakar.

Aftermath and reactions

Domestic reactions included statements from former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, comments by opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, and positions from state governors including Nyesom Wike, Aminu Tambuwal, Rotimi Amaechi, and Godswill Akpabio. International reactions arrived from heads of state such as Donald Trump, Theresa May, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, and regional bodies like the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union Commission. Legal challenges proceeded through the Election Petition Tribunal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria, resulting in rulings that affirmed results in some races and ordered reruns or upheld victories in others, affecting political alignments involving Bukola Saraki, Adams Oshiomhole, Nuhu Ribadu, and Ibrahim Magu. Post-election policy debates referenced appointments within the Federal Executive Council, confirmations by the Nigerian Senate, and ongoing engagement with multilateral partners such as the United Nations and the World Bank.

Category:Elections in Nigeria