Seizing the moment, after the whirlwind: Nigeria after the 2023 general elections

– , Berlin time (CET, UTC+1)
Online
YouTube

To display the YouTube video provided by Google, click the button below. This means Google will receive technical data about your device or browser, as well as information about your visit on this page. Google may use cookies to display the video. Google may combine your data with other information they have collected and will process your data on US servers. For more information visit our privacy notice.

Load video

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

Guests

Abiodun Alao, Professor of African Studies, King’s College London

Idayat Hassan, Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)

Charles Ukeje, Professor of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria

Chaired by

Theodore Murphy, Director, Africa Programme, ECFR

The just-concluded general elections in Nigeria throw-up multiple contradictions. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the declared winner, cannot resolve these by simply waving the proverbial magic wand. Arguably the biggest contradiction is that the ruling party, the All-People’s Congress, APC, will be succeeding itself despite a legacy of endemic insecurity, a moribund economy, and a deeply fractured polity.

Even though achieving the constitutional threshold, the President-elect did not impress the majority of electorates, gaining only about 40% of popular votes. He will be presiding over a leviathan that, for the most part, is badly bruised on all sides.

With a bitterly fought election, one in which previous political alliances dissolved, a new government must contend with myriad challenges. It requires support to bridge the country’s ethnic, political, and religious divides. Nigeria’s international partners, especially the EU and its member states, have a role to play.

What are the implications, in the short and long-terms, of the current election impasse for Nigeria’s democracy? What are the ‘low-hanging fruits’ in terms of policies and priorities that the new government must tackle decisively to restore trust and avert looming post-election challenges? What are the opportunities for the EU and EU member states to cooperate with the new government towards the post-election priorities?