Nigeria clears 18 candidates for presidency
Rampant insecurity, chronic unemployment and a worsening economic outlook are among issues the candidates are expected to address
Boakyewaa Lawrencia 
18 candidates have been approved by Nigeria's electoral commission to run in the presidential election that will take place in February of 2019.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) highlighted that 18 parties had fielded presidential candidates and their vice presidential running mates in a list released on Tuesday.
Atiku Abubakar, a 75-year-old veteran presidential candidate, and former vice president represents the Peoples Democratic Party in opposition, and 70-year-old former Lagos governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu represents the ruling All Progressives Congress. Both of their names are on the list.
Peter Obi, a 60-year-old former governor of Anambra state and member of the Labour Party, is also a part of it and is regarded as a third force.
On Wednesday of the next week, the official election campaigns will begin.
Rampant insecurity, chronic unemployment, and a worsening economic outlook are among the issues the candidates are expected to address.
Nigeria has a population of more than 200 million people, out of which more than 95 million voters have registered to participate in the coming election.
