Nigeria: Former VP, tied to disgraced ex-US congressman, announces presidential bid

Nigeria: Former VP announces presidential bid

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s former vice president Atiku Abubakar has announced he’s running for president in the oil-rich nation.

Abubakar told reporters at a news conference Sunday that he wanted to run as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, the nation’s ruling political party. The party would have to accept Abubakar as a member before he could run.

Nigeria’s presidential election could be held as early as January.

Abubakar served as vice president under President Olusegun Obasanjo. He ran unsuccessfully for president in 2007 as an opposition party candidate.

Abubakar was tied to the corruption scandal that brought down Louisiana congressman William Jefferson, whose freezer was stocked with $90,000 in cash at the time of an FBI raid.