Nigeria’s ‘godfathers’ pull the strings ahead of elections

People walk through traffic along a street in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, on Oct. 14. | AFP-JIJI

Nov 5, 2026

PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA – As Nigeria heads toward elections in just over two months, political battles will be waged over the airwaves and at rallies — and, perhaps more importantly, behind the scenes, by the country’s “godfathers.”

The Nigerian political scene is dominated by a caste of competing kingmakers stretching all the way to the very top — with President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking reelection, known as the “godfather of Lagos.”

Nigeria’s distinct brand of patronage, where politicians owe loyalty to the unelected figures who backed their rise, has bred a culture which, critics say, leads the government to prioritize elite hobnobbing and backstabbing over making ordinary people’s lives better.

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