Nigerian president-elect faces doubts, high poverty, crime

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The newly elected president of Nigeria is the first person chosen to lead the country with less than 50% of the vote. And his rivals have yet to signal that they accept the legitimacy of the election. Suffice to say, the glass is not looking half full as Bola Tinubu, a former accountant and politician for more than 30 years, prepares to take the reins of Africa’s largest economy, a nation of more than 200 million that is suffering from widespread poverty and violent crime. There are questions about how the 70-year-old Tinubu — one of Nigeria’s richest politicians — became so wealthy. And many younger Nigerians have doubts about whether he can improve economic opportunities for all, and reduce crime and corruption.