File: Cameroonian soldiers patrol on November 12, 2014 in Amchide, northern Cameroon, 1 km from Nigeria. The city was raided by Islamists from Nigeria’s Boko Haram, killing eight cameroonian soldiers and leading the population to flee on October 15, 2014, before another six coordinated attacks that killed at least three civilians in the remote north of the country, on November 9, 2014. Boko Haram’s five-year insurgency in neighboring Nigeria has left thousands dead, and the Islamists have occasionally carried out attacks over the border. Cameroon has deployed more than 1,000 soldiers in the extreme northeast of the country to counter the Islamist threat. AFP PHOTO
ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the names of the presidential candidates and their running mates who will contest next year’s elections
Of the 26 registered political parties in Nigeria, only 11 submitted names of candidates to run for the presidency.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, submitted the names of President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice, Namadi Sambo, while the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, submitted the names of Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo as presidential and vice presidential candidates.
Others are Oluremi Sonaiya and Saidu Bobboi for Kowa Party, Ambrose Albert and Haruna Shaba for Hope Democratic Party, Ganiyu Galadima and Balarabe Ahmed of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, Rafiu Salau and Clinton Cliff Akuchie for Alliance for Democracy, AD and Godson Okoye and Haruna Adamu, for United Democratic Party, UDP.
Others are Nani Ibrahim Ahmad and Obianuju Murphy-Uzohue of African Democratic Congress, Martin Onovo and Ibrahim Mohammed of National Conscience Party, NCP, Tunde Anifowoshe-Kelani and Paul Ishaka Ofomile of Action Alliance and Chekwas Okorie and Bello Umar of United Progressive Party.
The Labour Party, LP, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, have already adopted the PDP candidate, Goodluck Jonathan as their candidate as well.
Of all the 11 candidates, only Jonathan and Buhari were candidates in the last election in 2011.
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