How Buhari’s Distance Shaped Perceptions of Tinubu’s 2023 Victory

As Nigeria approaches another election cycle, this analysis revisits the political conditions surrounding Bola Tinubu’s 2023 presidential victory. It argues that Muhammadu Buhari’s apparent distance from Tinubu’s campaign shaped how many Nigerians interpreted the outcome. The naira redesign and resulting cash scarcity were widely seen as obstacles to Tinubu’s campaign structure. Tinubu’s allies presented the hardship as evidence that he was facing resistance from within the administration, helping him project an anti-establishment image despite being the APC candidate. The piece also examines divisions within the PDP, including the rift between Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike. It contends that Buhari’s refusal to openly campaign for Tinubu reduced claims of direct presidential interference and shifted much of the post-election criticism towards INEC and its conduct of the poll.

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