Presidential race between Falae and Obasanjo

Former Nigerian finance minister, Samuel Olu Falae, was picked late yesterday (Monday) to run as the presidential candidate of an alliance between two of Nigeria’s main political parties, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All People’s Party (APP), news organisations reported. Speaking on Nigerian radio after his nomination, Falae said he was “physically, mentally and spiritually prepared for the race.” According to the radio, a large delegation from the alliance arrived at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “at about five minutes to midnight to submit the names”. The deadline for the submission of candidates was midnight. Although Falae - who belongs to the AD - will run on the APP platform, he stressed he was not a an APP member but was merely using its logo to contest the elections. INEC, the body monitoring the elections, has consistently stated that in order for the alliance between the two parties to be legal, only one presidential candidate under one party logo can be nominated. Party officials said the APP presidential candidate, Ogbonnaya Onu, nominated on Sunday after a party convention, had withdrawn his candidacy. The alliance’s vice-presidential candidate was named as former security chief Umaru Shinkafi of the APP, news reports said. The 27 February presidential race is now on between former military ruler, General Olusegun Obasanjo, representing Nigeria’s largest party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Falae.