2019 Nigerian Presidential Election - Nigeria female candidate Oby Ezekwesili quits presidential race Thursday Jan 24,2019

The main female candidate in Nigeria's upcoming presidential election said she is withdrawing her candidacy to help build a coalition to defeat the ruling All Progressive Congress.

Oby Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) announced her decision on Thursday in a series of posts on Twitter.

"I have decided to step down from the presidential race and focus on helping to build a Coalition for a viable alternative to the #APCPDP in the 2019 general elections," she said.

Ezekwesili's withdrawal leaves incumbent Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the main contenders for the election, slated for February 16,2019

Only the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have won the country's presidential elections since the restoration of democratic rule in 1999.