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Nigeria’s ruling get together (All Progressive Congress) presidential flagbearer, Bola Tinubu (L) and Nigerian former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (R)
PIUS UTOMI EKPEI, Kola Sulaimon / AFP
- Voters in Ekiti state will go to the polls on Saturday to elect a brand new governor in what might be a bellwether for who wins subsequent 12 months’s presidential election.
- Police stated that they had deployed greater than 17 000 personnel to make sure a trouble-free vote, following the 2018 election that was marred by violence and claims of electoral fraud.
- In keeping with Nigeria’s Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee, the state has 988 923 registered voters however solely 733 746 have to this point collected their voter playing cards.
Voters in southwestern Nigeria’s Ekiti state will go to the polls on Saturday to elect a brand new governor in what might be a bellwether for who wins subsequent 12 months’s presidential election.
Ekiti is amongst eight of Nigeria’s 36 states the place governorship elections are usually not being held similtaneously the remainder of the nation due to authorized challenges to earlier outcomes.
It’s also thought of a swing state, key to successful presidential elections within the multi-ethnic West African nation of some 200 million individuals.
Though 16 events are on Saturday’s poll paper in Ekiti, it’s seen as a three-horse race between Biodun Oyebanji of the ruling APC, Bisi Kolawole of PDP and Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Occasion (SDP).
President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress got here to energy in 2015 and his victory after three unsuccessful bids was partially the results of the southwest’s assist.
The 79-year-old might be stepping down after finishing his two phrases in workplace allowed by the structure.
Two political veterans are vying to interchange him – ex-Lagos governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC and former vice chairman Atiku Abubakar of the Individuals’s Democratic Occasion (PDP) – in addition to different candidates.
Africa’s most populous nation is scheduled to carry its presidential election on 25 February 2023.
Analysts say the emergence of Tinubu because the APC’s presidential flagbearer has upped the stakes and altered the permutations within the Ekiti election.
“Tinubu, a Muslim from the zone will see successful Ekiti as the primary turf to check his reputation and electability within the February presidential race,” stated Lagos State College political science lecturer Dapo Thomas.
“Tinubu will do every part humanly attainable to make sure victory for Oyebanji,” he stated.
On the ultimate day of campaigning on Friday, Tinubu joined different main members of the get together to indicate assist for Oyebanji.
However the two different frontrunners shouldn’t be written off, Thomas warned, including:
Each Kolawole of PDP and SDP’s Oni are political juggernauts with grassroots assist. Kolawole has the backing of a strong former governor whereas Oni has been a former governor himself.
Incumbent governor Kayode Fayemi of the APC, who’s stepping down, is backing Oyebanji, his former aide.
In keeping with Nigeria’s Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), the state has 988 923 registered voters however solely 733 746 have to this point collected their voter playing cards.
Police stated that they had deployed greater than 17 000 personnel to make sure a trouble-free vote.
Nigeria has an extended historical past of electoral violence and malpractice and has not too long ago been battling a spate of safety challenges.
The final governorship vote in Ekiti in 2018 was marred by violence and claims of electoral fraud.
On Wednesday, the candidates signed a peace accord, vowing to keep away from violence and settle for the result of the vote.
Subsequent month, a governorship election will happen in neighbouring Osun state.
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