Godfather of Lagos wins Nigeria presidency in disputed election

ONE of Nigeria’s richest politicians, nicknamed the Godfather of Lagos, has been declared president of Africa’s most populous nation in its closest election for decades.

Bola Tinubu, standing for the All Progressives Congress of outgoing president Muhammadu Buhari, won 37 per cent of the vote in a race undermined by logistical problems and low turnout.

It marked a return to centre stage for Mr Tinubu, who has spent years using his influence and formidable network to win elections for others.

Opposition parties denounced the result, however, and demanded a new vote, with one saying it would challenge the outcome in court.

Mr Tinubu attempted to strike a unifying tone after his victory was announced. “Together, we shall build a brighter and more productive society for today, tomorrow and for years to come,” he said.

He campaigned on his record as twoterm governor of Lagos from 1999 to 2007, where his supporters credit him with curbing crime, improving services, attracting major investment and turning Africa’s biggest city into an economic powerhouse. “My track record should speak for me. Look at Lagos: before I came, we had dead bodies on the road, a chaotic traffic system, robbery daytime and nighttime,” he said.

But his career has also been dogged by accusations of cronyism, corruption and links to drug-related crimes. His critics also blame him for the crumbling infrastructure and inequality in Lagos.

In 1992, the US Department of Justice alleged his bank accounts held money thought to come from drug trafficking. He denied any wrongdoing and reached a settlement to forfeit £380,000.

Others have raised concerns about his fitness to lead after he looked frail in some public appearances. Opponents say he is considerably older than his claimed age of 70.

After studying in the US in the 1970s and working for consultancy firms there, he returned to Nigeria in the 1980s and worked for the Mobil oil company as an auditor.

After his two terms as governor in Lagos, he has maintained a formidable patronage network and picked every winning candidate to run the city.

‘Before I came we had dead bodies on the road, chaotic traffic, robbery daytime and nighttime’