LAGOS – Today, Nigerians go to the poll to elect their president. Political analysts have predicted that the 2019 presidential election might be the most keenly contested in the history of the country especially because of the personalities of the top candidates and the number of contestants in the race.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), enlisted 73 candidates for the election including the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Other notable candidates include Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), a political economist, lawyer, former United Nations official, and professor in international business and public policy at the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy;
President Buhari served as Head of State from 31 December 1983 to 27 August 1985, having taken over power in a military coup d’état.
Having contested for the office of the President of Nigeria in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 general elections, he was eventually elected into office as part of the fourth republic in an election which held in March 2015.
He won the election as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeating the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
On his part, Atiku, who was Vice President to President Olusegun Obasanjo between 29 May 1997 and 29 May 2007 has contested for President of Nigeria twice in the past with the current election being his third.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General (IG), of Police has assured of maximum security, urging voters to come out and exercise their civic duties.
According to the Force Spokesman, ACP Frank Mba, the IG deployed 55 Commissioner of Police (CPs) to 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
They are expected to be at each of the senatorial districts in each State to complement the efforts of the Command CPs.
As the election holds, the international community will also be monitoring, as they are known to wield the big stick in form of a regime of sanctions comprising visa ban on culprits and their families, and asset freeze when they consider an election faulty, not free and fair and marred by widespread violence.
INDEPENDENT
No comments:
Post a Comment