BUHARI, ATIKU IN FINAL PUSH FOR VOTES

Why APC Saves Kwara, Ogun, Bayelsa Rallies For Last Reasons PDP Yet to Hit Kano, Lagos, Rivers

By Hamza Idris, Ismail Mudashir, Muideen Olaniyi, Musa Abdullahi Krishi & Saawua Terzungwe

With Nigeria’s presidential election taking place in six days, the two frontline presidential contenders in the race, President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are sparing no efforts to win voters’ hearts.

The two candidates are stepping up campaign rallies and other electioneering activities targeted at ensuring victory at the Saturday poll.

Campaigns for the presidential election will officially close 24 hours before the commencement of voting.

Over 70 candidates are contesting in the election, according to a list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria’s electoral umpire.

The race is, however, seen as a twohorse race between President Buhari and Abubakar, two major contenders enjoying large followership in the country.

Over the remaining days, the duo will be involved in final push for Nigerians’ endorsement.

Governor Abdul’Aziz Yari of Zamfara State has told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that there is no way elections would hold in the state without APC candidates on the ballot. Governor Yari made the statement on Friday during the APC campaign rally in Talata Mafara Local Government Area.

“There is no way elections will be conducted in Zamfara State without APC candidates, after the Zamfara High Court judgment which confirmed that APC conducted primaries in the state”.

He said it would be a huge mistake and threat to national security for INEC to bar Zamfara APC candidates from taking part in the forthcoming elections.

“All our actions are based on the Zamfara High Court order. We are therefore advising INEC to obey the order and include the names of Zamfara APC candidates submitted to the commission”, he said.

Yari urged the electorate to vote for President Muhammad Buhari and all APC candidates during the general elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has maintained that Zamfara APC has no candidates because the party did not conduct primaries and did not meet the October 7th deadline for submission of candidates list.

The Zamfara APC had approached the state High Court to challenge INEC’s stand and the court in its ruling affirmed that the APC held primaries and asked INEC to accept the candidates. But a High Court ruling in Abuja, countered that, insisting that INEC was right in excluding Zamfara APC from the ballot.