Nigeria’s
36 state governors wield enormous power and influence – some have control of
budgets larger than neighbouring countries.
This
weekend Nigerians will be voting for 29 of them – two weeks after the historic
vote which saw veteran opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari defeat Goodluck
Jonathan, the incumbent president.
It
will also be a titanic battle between Mr Jonathan’s People’s Democratic Party
(PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Gen Buhari.
Here
are the five most important
battlegrounds:
Lagos
The
commercial hub of the country, it has been under the opposition rule since the
return of democracy in 1999. It is estimated to have a GDP of $91bn (£62bn),
higher than 42 countries in Africa.
Although
cosmopolitan, the state had two Muslim governors in the last 16 years,
including the outgoing Babatunde Fashola credited with transforming its chaotic
nature with various development projects.
In an
attempt to balance the equation, two Christians are now vying for the top job:
Akinwumi Ambode of the APC and Jimi Agbaje of the PDP.
The
PDP did fairly well in the presidential vote in Lagos, so it is going to be a
tight race – and its candidate is very popular within the Igbo community, which
controls substantial business enterprises.
It
will be the biggest blow to the incoming government if it loses Lagos, which is
the most populous and industrialised state with the highest non-oil revenue
earnings.
Rivers
This
is a battle for the control of the largest oil wells in the country.
A PDP
stronghold, it has been a flash point of violence in the run-up to the
elections, with APC saying 55 of its members have been killed.
Some
estimates put the GPD of oil-rich Rivers state at $21bn
But
there have been tensions in Rivers during this election season
The
outgoing governor, Rotimi Amaechi, was elected on a PDP ticket four years ago
but defected to join the APC and led Gen Buhari’s campaign.
Many
see him as an “unpatriotic son” of the Niger Delta who fought against his
fellow southerner, Mr Jonathan.
His
chosen successor is the APC’s Dakuku Peterside. However, the powerful first
lady, Patience Jonathan, who hails from the state, is backing the PDP’s Nyesom
Wike.
The
task ahead of the winner will be to mediate between multi-national oil firms
and the disgruntled communities who complain of environmental pollution and
neglect.
Kaduna
The
beating heart of northern politics – many of the political elite live there –
it also tends be a political melting point as the state is divided with Muslims
in the north and Christians in the south
It
has witnessed much ethno-religious violence in which thousands of people died
since 1999.
Kaduna has a
mixed population with both Christians and Muslims
The
APC has fielded Nasir El-Rufai, the former minister of Abuja who transformed
the capital into a modern city and demolished illegal structures.
The
incumbent PDP governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero is under intense pressure as the
APC won the state in the presidential vote. Mr Yero came to power two years ago
after the death in a plane crash of the only Christian governor of Kaduna.
Whoever
wins faces the task of promoting peace amongst the diverse ethnic groups,
especially between Fulani herdsmen and farming communities.
Taraba
History
could be made in this impoverished state close to the Cameroonian border if
Aisha Jummai Alhassan of the APC wins, becoming Nigeria’s first female governor.
Could Aisha
Jummai Alhassan become Nigeria’s first female governor?
A
former court worker and a Muslim, she faces a hurdle in a state where
Christians have ruled for the last 16 years.
Her
PDP opponent, Darius Ishaku, is a former minister who has the support of mostly
Christian communities and has a financial backer with deep pockets.
Taraba
is equally divided between Muslim and Christian, and also faces ethnic and
religious problems.
And
while Ms Alhassan is popular amongst Muslims, she may find it difficult to
attract the more conservative Muslim voters.
Imo
At
the heart of the south-east and home to the Igbo ethnic group, the people
overwhelmingly voted for PDP in the presidential and parliamentary elections.
However,
the incumbent APC governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, is by no means a write-off.
Rochas
Okorocha is an important figure within the APC…
But
the south is traditionally loyal to the PDP, so Emeka Ihedioha may beat the
incumbent
He is
powerful within the APC – and the region may feel it needs someone with
influence to fight their corner with the incoming APC government.
He
faces the PDP’s Emeka Ihedioha, the outgoing deputy speaker of the House of
Representatives who has the important backing of Mr Jonathan.
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