Oby Ezekwesili is well known for leading the #BringBackOurGirls campaign to help free the 276 girls kidnapped from Chibok, northern Nigeria, in 2014.

She co-founded Transparency International and has served as the education minister and vice-president of the World Bank.

But in a surprise statement on Thursday morning, she said she was committed to building a coalition that would offer Nigerians a viable alternative to the two major parties - the governing All Progressive’s Congress (APC) and the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Social embed from twitter

Oby Ezekwesili?  @obyezeks

 Following the reactions of Nigerian citizens at home and abroad to the 2019 Presidential Debate held on Saturday 19 January 2019, and after extensive consultations with leaders from various walks of life across the country over the past few days...

Oby Ezekwesili?@obyezeks

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.

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She added that she had come to her decision following consultations with Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.

In a series of tweets following the announcement, she admitted that her party, the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, disagreed with her choice.

Oby Ezekwesili?@obyezeks

 My commitment in this regard has been consistent and in consonance with my agreement, at the request of then aspirants under PACT in 2018, to supervise their internal selection process as an outside observer passionate about building this alternative force.

Oby Ezekwesili?@obyezeks

Despite disagreements within the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria on these and other issues, I have decided that it is now necessary to show by action and example my determination on this issue by stepping down my candidacy and focusing on building the coalition once and for all.

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Election campaigns in Nigeria are notoriously expensive to run and female candidates often struggle to raise the required funds.

Ms Ezekwesili had set up an online funding page at the beginning of her campaign, urging members of the public to donate to her efforts.

As of Thursday morning the page had raise slightly more $6,000 (£4,559), less than half of her stated goal.