Tinubu's re-election campaign forces voters to judge a decade of APC rule
As Nigeria's presidential race kicks off, President Bola Tinubu seeks a second term while voters assess the impact of twelve years of All Progressives Congress governance.
Campaign activities started on Wednesday for Nigeria's January elections, pitting incumbent President Bola Tinubu against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and opposition figure Peter Obi. Critics argue that the APC's twelve-year tenure has left the country poorer, more indebted and no safer than when it first took power in 2015 under Muhammadu Buhari. Tinubu's swift economic measures—ending a decades-old fuel subsidy and devaluing the naira twice—have boosted macro indicators but triggered a severe cost-of-living crisis, prompting protests and declining household incomes.
Surveys indicate nearly 80% of respondents feel the nation is on the wrong path, with economic hardship and insecurity topping their worries. Security challenges persist, with Amnesty International reporting over 10,000 deaths and numerous school abductions since Tinubu assumed office. The election therefore hinges on whether voters prioritize short-term pain against promised long-term gains.
Why it matters
Nigeria's election will decide if the current economic and security policies will continue, affecting the lives of Africa's most populous nation.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage emphasizes the fragmented opposition and general governance concerns, while right-leaning coverage stresses the decade of APC rule, economic hardship and widespread public dissatisfaction.
LEFT
Frames the election as a contested race with a fractured opposition and highlights worries about rising prices, security crises, youth discontent, and potential one-party dominance.
RIGHT
Frames the campaign as a test of a decade of APC rule, underscoring economic decline, a cost-of-living crisis, high public discontent and persistent insecurity.
The left emphasises
- fractured opposition
- soaring prices
- persistent security crises
- high youth discontent
The right emphasises
- APC’s twelve-year tenure left the country poorer and more indebted
- severe cost-of-living crisis
- nearly 80% of respondents feel the nation is on the wrong path
- security challenges
Possibly left out
- Right-leaning coverage reports that nearly 80% of respondents feel the nation is on the wrong path, absent from the left-leaning coverage.
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