By Jennifer Y Omiloli
The presidential candidates have renewed a pledge for peaceful elections ahead of Saturday’s February 16 vote, in a race that will hopefully end soon.
A stampede, however, has killed 20 people at a political rally for incumbent President Buhari in Port Harcourt.
At a political rally for Buhari, 20 people were killed and another 29 injured as security forces ushered people out of the event. The numbers are expected to rise as first responders collect data on the incident.
The incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party, is seeking his second term. His bid is being challenged by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Both vowed Wednesday to contribute to a free and fair election and refrain from “religious incitement” or ethnic profiling.
Muhammadu Buhari, 76, made history in 2015 as the first person to democratically overthrown an incumbent president in Nigeria. A reputation as an honest and serious minded opponent of corruption was key to Buhari’s victory in the last election.
While a handful of the other candidates are touted as civil society alternatives, their chances of winning are slim without the big parties’ wealth and patronage.
The rest of the more than 70 presidential candidates lack access to funds available to Buhari and Atiku through their parties, the All Progressives Congress and People’s Democratic Party. The two men have also developed patronage networks over decades in politics.
