Tinubu named among Time’s 100 most influential people of 2023

Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s president-elect, has been included in Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people for 2023.

In a blog post on Thursday, the respected magazine described Tinubu as a “longtime political power broker” who helped restore the country’s democracy in 1999.

The post reads: “Winning an election in Africa’s most populous country is no easy feat. But Nigeria’s newly elected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has had nearly two decades to prepare. Called Jagaban, or ‘leader of the warriors,’ by his supporters, the now 71-year-old ran in a presidential election for the first time this March.

“His campaign slogan, ‘It’s my turn,’ was a nod to his role as a longtime political power broker. Tinubu helped restore the country’s democracy in 1999 after fighting military rule and then served two consecutive terms as governor of Lagos.

“But Tinubu’s win with the ruling All Progressives Congress Party came in a fraught election and by a slim margin over Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. It was the first time Nigerian voters contended with a third-party candidate, and many discontented young Nigerians yearning for change pinned their hopes on Obi. Marred by allegations of intimidation and vote rigging, the outcome of the ballot is being challenged in court.

“Tinubu now faces a litany of crises in a fractured nation, including deep-rooted corruption, religious insurgencies, and shortages of cash, fuel, and power in a crumbling economy. But the President-elect seems aware of his inheritance: ‘[Nigeria] is one country and we must build it together,” he said in his acceptance speech.”