Electoral violence threatens Nigeria’s economy, Muda Yusuf warns
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Daily Post
Nigerian economist Muda Yusuf says violence linked to the 2027 presidential election could worsen Nigeria’s economic vulnerabilities and reduce investor confidence. In a statement published on Sunday, he called on political leaders to preserve economic stability and institutional neutrality, Daily Post Nigeria reports.
Muda Yusuf, a Nigerian economist and Director-General of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), says political violence linked to the 2027 presidential election risks worsening Nigeria’s economic vulnerabilities. He issued the warning in a statement published on Sunday 15 November, according to Daily Post.
The former Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) considers that acts of intimidation and inflammatory political rhetoric threaten economic stability and investor confidence. He called on political leaders to put national economic interests ahead of their partisan ambitions. According to him, electoral competition must neither encourage violence nor undermine the neutrality of public institutions.
His statements come after several incidents in the context of preparations for the election. The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, was notably confronted in London. Supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), an opposition party in Nigeria, were also attacked during a public meeting in Lagos. An incident involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during Friday prayers at the Garbi Central Mosque in the Area 1 district also sparked controversy.
Tensions over the organisation of the election also concern the credibility of INEC. On 15 November, distrust of INEC threatens Nigeria’s 2027 election, while calls for electoral chief Joash Amupitan to step down had been reported on 13 November.
