The race for the 2019 presidential election is heating up, and aspirants are already declaring their intention to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The incumbent president, Muhhamadu Buhari has declared his intention to seek re-election, claiming that he was “responding to the clamour by Nigerians to re-contest in 2019, for him to do so.”
Here is a list of no fewer than 13 aspirants gunning for the highest office in the country.
Please, note that the order of arrangement here doesn’t equate to the level of their popularity, either in the ascending or descending order.
Muhammadu Buhari
-75 years old
-Current President of Nigeria
-Left secondary school to join the Nigerian army at the age of 19
-Military Head of State from 1983-1985
-He has so far spent a sixth of his presidency on sick leave
Omoyele Sowore
-47 years old
-Founder and publisher of Sahara Reporters
-Degrees from the University of Lagos and Columbia University
-Lecturer at the City University of New York, and the School of Arts, New York
-Writer, public speaker, and human rights activist
Former Vice-president, Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar
-71 years old
-Attended Ahmadu Bello University
-Former Vice President from 1999-2007
-Founder/co-founder of Intels, Adama Beverages Ltd., and the American University of Nigeria
-Making his 4th presidential bid under his 4th political party since 1992
Remi Sonaiya
-63 years old
-Retired professor of French Language and Applied Linguistics at Obafemi Awolowo University
-Degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University and Cornell University
-She was the only female candidate in the 2015 presidential election
Thomas-Wilson Ikubese
-47 years old
-Chief Medical Director of Sckye Hospital and Diagnostics Limited
-Attended the University of Benin School of Medicine and Surgery
-A poet, motivational speaker, radio and television presenter
Kingsley Moghalu
-55 years old
-Professor of Practice in International Business and Public Policy at Tufts University
-Attended UNN and LSE (Ph.D)
-President of the Institute of Governance and Economic Transformation
-Former United Nations official
-Former CBN deputy governor
Fela Durotoye
-46 years old
-Public speaker and business strategist
-BSc. Computer Science and Economics, and MBA/MSc. Business Strategy from Obafemi Awolowo University
Sule Lamido
-69 years old
-Attended Barewa College
-Former Governor of Jigawa from 2007-2015
-Former foreign minister from 1999-2003
-Briefly jailed and stood trial with his two sons in 2015 for
embezzling state funds
Donald Duke
-56 years old
-LLB from Ahmadu Bello University, LLM from the University of Pennsylvania
-Former Commissioner for Finance and Planning
-Former Governor of Cross River
-Initiated the Tinapa Free Zone & Resort, and the Calabar Carnival
Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies
-55 years old
-Professor of Language and Communication Arts at the Rivers State University of Education
-Degrees from the Universities of Ilorin, Port Harcourt, and
Northwestern University
-Founder, the Agape Bible Church
Enyinnaya Nnaemeka Nwosu
-40 years old
-Former lecturer at West George College
-Degrees from Asia State University and Robert Gordon University
-Worked with the Royal Bank of Scotland, SERCO Group, the Legal Aid Agency, and Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals in the UK
Ahmed Buhari
-40 years old
-CEO of Skylar Inc.
-Degrees from the Federal University of Technology, and Cavendish
College, London
Peter Ayodele Fayose
-57 years old
-Current Governor of Ekiti
-Has a HND from The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
Adesanya Fegbenro-Bryon
-59 years old
-Chairman/CEO of Mothergold Limited, Chief Responsibility Officer for Mothergold Consulting
-Degrees from the University of Ibadan and Obafemi Awolowo University
-Former regional coordinator for the Department for International Development
Charles Udeogaranya
-46 years old
-Former Lagos State chairman of the defunct African Renaissance Party
-Now a chieftain of the APC
Adamu Garba II
-36 years old
-CEO, IPI Solutions
-Received several awards and recognition both locally and internationally
Mathias Tsado Mathias Tsado
-41 years old
-CEO of Matstrutt Nigeria Ltd.
-BSc. Mech. Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Minna
-Set up the Hope Platform Initiative
-Say he can provide Nigerians with 16-18 hours of constant power
within his first 2-3 years in office
Eniola Ojajuni
-39 years old (Will be 40 this year)
-Businessman and consultant on imports, exports, and investments
-LLB from Lagos State University, MBA from Ghana Business School
-Previously ran for the Lagos State House of Assembly and the
Governorship of Ondo
Olu James Omosule
-48 years old
-Attended the City University of New York before dropping out to take
care of his ill grandmother
-Former Chief Officer for Scope America Outreach in the US
-Served as General Manager for several US firms
Tope Fasua
-47 years old
-CEO of Global Analytics Consulting Ltd.
-Degrees from Ondo State University, London Business School, and Harvard Business School
-National Chairman of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP)
-Also a newspaper columnist and TV analyst.
