Buhari to run for second term

President Muhammadu Buhari Monday told the national executive committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that he will be contesting for a second term as Nigerian president.

"President @Buhari has just announced his intention to seek the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contest for a second term of Office in the 2019 elections," the presidency said on Twitter.

"Victory is sure by the grace of God and together we must continue to sanitise Nigeria's political environment," said Buhari in a statement issued by the presidency.

Buhari, a 75-year-old former general and military head of state, was voted into power in 2015 on a platform vowing to crack down on endemic graft and stamp out the Boko Haram insurgency devastating the country's northeast.

His government has made gains against the jihadist group, but Boko Haram is still capable of staging deadly attacks on military and civilian targets.

BREAKING NEWS: PMB has just announced to APC NEC his intention to run for a second term of office. Alhamdulillah. - Nasir El-Rufai

— Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (@elrufai) April 9, 2018

 Buhari has been criticised for aggravating Nigeria's worst recession in 25 years by introducing a currency peg that spooked investors and depleted foreign reserves.

There are also questions about his health after he spent much of 2017 in a London hospital with an undisclosed illness.

President @MBuhari has just announced his intention to seek the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contest for a second term of Office in the 2019 elections.

— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) April 9, 2018