Voting began in Niger on Sunday in an election expected to lead to the West African nation’s first transfer of power between two democratically elected presidents.
A smooth handover would be a rare bright spot for a country plagued by widespread poverty and violence that has killed hundreds of civilians and soldiers in the past year alone.
Niger has experienced four coups since gaining independence from France in 1960. This would also be in contrast to Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, whose presidents this year used constitutional changes to extend their terms to three terms, raising fears of a democratic setback in West Africa.
“It is extremely important to us because we are seen as the mastermind of the coup,” said Massaoudou Abdou, 50, who voted for a school in the southern Nigerian city of Maradi. “In 60 years of independence, this is the first time,” he said, referring to the transfer of power from one elected president to another.
Former Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum, the ruling party’s candidate, is the overwhelming favorite to succeed President Issoufou Mahamadou, who is stepping down after two five-year terms leading the country at 23 million.
Bazoum, 60, has promised continuity with Mahamadou’s policies, while promising to clean up widespread corruption, according to Reuters.
“If I’m lucky enough to win this election, you’ve chosen someone who’s ready from day one,” he said in a campaign video.
Niger has suffered repeated attacks near its western borders with Mali and Burkina Faso from militants linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh, including one in January that killed at least 89 soldiers. Hundreds of miles east, near its southeastern border with Nigeria, are facing attacks from Boko Haram. More than 20,000 people have died in attacks carried out since 2009 by the terrorist group Boko Haram in Niger and more than 2 million people have been displaced.
More than 40% of Niger’s population lives in extreme poverty, and the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed growth to a crawl, exacerbating the effects of climate change and low uranium export prices.
Apart from terrorism, Niger has also been affected by the Libyan conflict that has arisen between the UN-backed government and Putist general Khalifa Haftar. Libya has been a war for several years and has been an important transit point for Africans seeking economic opportunities in Europe.
Libya has been in turmoil since 2011 when a civil war overthrew Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country has been divided between rival administrations in the east and west, each supported by armed groups and foreign governments.
Bazoum faces 29 other candidates, who hope to force a second round by denying him a full majority. Hama Amadou, who finished second in the last election, was not allowed to participate due to a criminal conviction and left the opposition without an obvious character.
But last week, Amadou’s party urged its supporters to meet Mahamane Ousmane, who was president from 1993-1996, which could get some to show up and vote.
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