Renowned Katsina Billionaire, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, has donated over 100 campaign vehicles in support of the presidential election bid of a former Minister, Mohamed Bazoum, in the Republic of Niger.
The billionaire businessman and founder of Max Air is believed to be a major financier of one of the neighbouring country’s presidential candidates; a situation that has led many to wonder what his interests are.
Niger Republic’s presidential and national assembly elections will be held on Sunday, December 27, 2020.
A video obtained by PRNigeria showed Mangal presenting over 100 vehicles to Mohamed Bazoum in Maradi, a Niger-Nigeria border town.
The vehicles were all branded: “Mohammed Bazoum, 2021,” with a conspicuous photo of the presidential candidate on them.
With a net worth estimated around $765 million, Mangal is a business mogul, an entrepreneur, industrialist and seasoned management expert who founded Max Air Limited in 2008.
Mangal, who is friends with Niger president, Mahamadou Issoufou, reportedly made donations to the incumbent’s 2016 campaign.
Bazoum is seen a protege of the incumbent president and the ruling Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) candidate.
n a year marked by setbacks for some West African countries, the forthcoming presidential election will lead to Niger’s first democratic transition of power between two democratically elected presidents since the country’s independence in 1960 from France.
In recent times, there have been debates about the alleged “new love” between Nigeria and Niger.
The latest donation to a presidential election candidate in Niger by a Nigerian businessman has again stirred up that debate.
Recall that recently, President Muhammadu Buhari approved that a rail line be built to connect the two countries.
There were also the reported plans of the Nigerian government to import fuel from Niger.
On Tuesday, Buhari assured that his administration will support Niger in its elections.
The President spoke when he received former Vice President Namadi Sambo, head of ECOWAS Election Mission.
“I come from Daura, a few kilometres from the Republic of Niger, so I should know a bit about that country. We share more than 1,400 kilometres of borders which can only be effectively supervised by God”, he said.
While the resultant effect of these decisions remain to be seen, Nigerians wait curiously to debate issues as they arise.
