Details have emerged that Dahiru Mangal, a Katsina born,
Nigeria billionaire, is funding the campaign of a presidential candidate in
Niger Republic, raising questions as to the motive behind his action.
Niger Republic’s presidential and national assembly
elections will be held on Sunday, December 27, 2020.
A video obtained by PRNigeria showed Mangal presenting over
100 vehicles to Mohamed Bazoum in Maradi, a Niger-Nigeria border town.
It is unclear, however, if the country’s electoral laws
permit foreign contributions to a candidates electioneering campaign.
Mangal, the founder of Max Air, is worth $765 million. He is
friends with President Mahamadou Issoufou and reportedly also made donations to
the incumbent’s 2016 campaign.
Bazoum is a protege of Issoufou and the ruling Nigerien
Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) candidate.
He will face 29 other candidates, including Mahamane
Ousmane, Niger President from 1993-1996 and Seini Oumarou, a former Prime Minister.
The runner-up in the last election, Hama Amadou is barred
from running because of a criminal conviction.
If no presidential candidate receives above 50percent of
total votes, a second round will be held on February 21, 2021.
It will be Niger’s first democratic transition of power
between democratically elected presidents since independence from France in
1960.
In recent times, there have been debates about the alleged
“new love” between Nigeria and Niger.
The latest donation to a presidential election candidate in
Niger by a Nigerian businessman has again stirred up that debate.
Recall that recently, President Muhammadu Buhari approved
that a rail line be built to connect the two countries.
There were also the reported plans of the Nigerian
government to import fuel from Niger.
On Tuesday, Buhari assured that his administration will
support Niger in its elections.
The President spoke when he received former Vice President
Namadi Sambo, head of ECOWAS Election Mission.
“I come from Daura, a few kilometres from the Republic of
Niger, so I should know a bit about that country. We share more than 1,400
kilometres of borders which can only be effectively supervised by God”, he
said.
While the resultant effect of these decisions remain to be
seen, Nigerians wait curiously to debate issues as they arise.
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