THE COMPLEX POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN NIGERIA

Elections in Nigeria are not about issues. They are about personality and personal and ethnic alliances A BETTER PEACE welcomes Ambassador John Campbell to the studio to discuss the upcoming Nigerian elections and describe the very complex political and social landscape in Nigeria. Contrary to the mythical 'north-south' divide, Nigeria comprises about 350 different ethnic groups and languages such that being Muslim or Christian is just one differentiating factor. With 20,000 candidates vying for political office on the 16th of February, this weekend could signal a significant change in direction for the country.     John Campbell is the Ralph Bunche Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies at the Council of Foreign Relations. Chris Wyatt is a colonel in the U.S. Army and Director of African Studies at the U.S. Army War College. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers are do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Image: Map of Nigeria from the United Nations, public domain. Image composed by Tom Galvin