Mahamadou Issoufou

Mahamadou Issoufou (born 1952) is a Nigerien politician who has been President of Niger since 7 April 2011. He is also President of the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-Tarayya), a social democratic party. He was Prime Minister of Niger from 1993 to 1994 and President of the National Assembly from 1995 to 1996, and he has stood as a candidate in each presidential election since 1993. During the Presidency of Mamadou Tandja (1999–2010), Issoufou was the main opposition leader.

Background

Issoufou, an ethnic Hausa, was born in the town of Dandaji in Tahoua Department. An engineer by trade, he served as National Director of Mines from 1980 to 1985 before becoming Secretary-General of the Mining Company of Niger (SOMAIR). He is married to Dr Malika Issoufou Mahamadou.

1993 presidential election and appointment as Prime Minister

In February 1993, the country's first multiparty legislative and presidential elections were held. In the parliamentary election, Issoufou's party, the PNDS, won 13 seats in the National Assembly,Jibrin Ibrahim and Abdoulayi Niandou Souley, , Politeia, volume 15, number 3, Unisa Press, 1996. as a PNDS candidate in Tahoua...
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