Can Nigerian ‘new broom’ candidate sweep the youth vote?
It’s mid-morning on Wednesday in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, as Prosper Uka sidles up to a group of women standing in a crowd outside a bank.
Have they heard of a man named Peter Obi? he asks, shouting to be heard over the roar of motorcycle engines and honking cars on the busy road nearby. Mr. Obi is a candidate for president of Nigeria, Mr. Uka explains, and he’s going to make sure they never end up in a mess like this again.
The women nod. They’re listening. Like the others in this group, they’ve been waiting for hours in the Lagos heat, hoping to withdraw a few dollars from the bank. As Saturday’s presidential election approaches, Nigeria is in the grip of a massive cash shortage caused by a bungled rollout
