- The Eurasia Group has named Nigeria's forthcoming general elections as one of the world's “Top Risks 2019”
- The New York-based organisation stated that Nigeria faces its most fiercely contested election since the transition to democracy in 1999
- Other issues or countries listed in the report are the US-China trade war, European populism, Mexico, Ukraine and Brexit
Advisory firm, the Eurasia Group, has named Nigeria's forthcoming general elections as one of the world's “Top Risks 2019”
The report which was released on Monday, January 7, stated that Nigeria faces its most fiercely contested election since the transition to democracy in 1999.
Nigeria's general elections was listed as number 10 in the list released by the respected New York-based organisation.
Other issues or countries listed in the report are the US-China trade war, US domestic politics, European populism, Mexico, Ukraine and Brexit.
The report, however, predicted that the Nigerian presidential election will be a very close or inconclusive poll between its two main contenders; incumbent Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
READ ALSO: Atiku knows Buhari is very honest - Osinbajo
“The election will be close, and a challenged or inconclusive result is possible. That, in turn, could trigger a political crisis in which neither candidate has a legitimate claim to power.
“If the vote is close enough to trigger a runoff, Nigeria's constitution requires the second round of voting to occur within seven days of the first, a tough timeline to meet given the complexity of organizing national elections in the country. This could be a recipe for severe uncertainty in Africa's most important market,” the report said.
Describing President Buhari's chances, the report said: “He is an elderly, infirm leader who lacks the energy, creativity, or political savvy to move the needle on Nigeria's most intractable problems.
“Buhari is the frontrunner. A second term for him would mean the country at best muddles through the next four years, with little progress on critical policy priorities like tax reform or a restructuring of the energy sector.
“Buhari would be a lame duck from day one, with powerbrokers in his own party quickly shifting their focus to the next electoral cycle in 2023. And if Buhari's health problems continue or worsen, the situation will get worse.
“The president's continual medical leaves abroad impaired governance his first term. A repetition would again remove him from decision-making and the public eye for months at a time, leaving investors to wonder who is calling the shots and whether they're qualified for the job.
“A Buhari reelection also carries tail risks. A politically weak president, for health or other reasons, would open the floodgates for political infighting, increasing the chances that his ruling All Progressives Congress implodes.
“That would turn a policy slowdown into paralysis. The risk of attacks on oil infrastructure would also rise, because the absence of strong leadership in Abuja would make it harder to negotiate with the Niger Delta's various militant groups.”
On Atiku, the report said: “His opponent is Atiku Abubakar, another gerontocrat who would focus on enriching himself and his cronies, avoiding the difficult and politically unpopular tasks necessary for reform.
“A win for the challenger, Atiku, would create a brief, superficial boost to the country's image -largely because of his better health and keener intellect. But it would also pose the risk of a return to an even more rent-seeking governing style.
“Atiku's policy priorities are unclear and untested: He had previously promised to deregulate the oil and gas sector but recently pledged to reduce gasoline prices by 50% from already below-market levels. That would swell subsidy costs and endanger long-term debt sustainability.
“He's also unlikely to champion a tax reform that's critical to Nigeria's fiscal sustainability. Atiku would face significant infighting within his People's Democratic Party as well, as leaders try to hold him to his promise to serve only one term (a pledge he's likely to retract).”
READ ALSO: 2019 polls: Buhari's group hails president's open mindedness
Meanwhile, the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the PDP’s reactions to appointment of Mrs Amina Zakari as head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation centre committee is “a sheer hysteria and excuse for the party’s impending defeat.’’
The minister who stated this at an interactive session with select journalists on Tuesday, January 8, in Abuja, stressed that the PDP’s reaction resulted from “a pathological fear of impending political doom.’’
Mohammed also said that the opposition party’s reactions to alleged tenure elongation of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, by President Muhammadu Buhari is a “grabbing at any floating object, even straw, by a drowning man.’’
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