Atiku will win Presidential election, The Economist predicts

By: Ikenna Oluka

The Economist Intelligence Unit Africa said on Friday that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar will win the February 16 election.

It said the margin of victory was getting narrower as the election approaches, but Atiku and his political party will win the historic election.

“#NigeriaDecides2019 : Less than 2 weeks before #Nigeria‘s presidential election. Abubakar has floated idea of corruption amnesty. It is arguably an impolitic time for such a delicate proposal,” EIU Africa tweeted.

“Abubakar is hard-pressed to convince voters that he is a clean politician, having been on the receiving end of numerous graft allegations in the past.

“We retain our forecast for #Abubakar to win, but expected margin of victory is narrowing as the poll approaches.”

Recall that in 2015, the magazine also predicted victory for Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress over the then-incumbent,  Goodluck Jonathan.

It added then that Buhari was “the least awful choice,” which would be chosen “with a heavy heart”.

“Voters have ample cause to send Mr Jonathan packing. In a country where power has often changed through the barrel of a gun, the opposition All Progressives Congress has a real chance of winning through the ballot box,” The Economist said in 2015.