As Nigerians vote today, ALEXANDER OKERE examines the factors that are likely to determine the fate of the two leading presidential candidates, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party

At least 60 million registered voters across Nigeria are today expected to troop to their respective polling units to cast their votes in the much-awaited presidential and National Assembly elections.

While Nigerians will vote to choose who will represent them in the Senate and the Federal House of Representatives for the next four years, all eyes are on the presidential poll, which many believe will be keenly contested.

Presently, 72 presidential candidates are vying for the highest office in the country but political watchers have argued that the election is largely a battle between the candidates of the two major parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The candidate of the APC and incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, was announced as the party’s standard bearer in September, 2018. Buhari’s candidacy was later affirmed by party delegates through a direct presidential primary in October.

A former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, emerged the candidate of the PDP with 1,532 votes, defeating 11 other aspirants during the party’s keenly contested presidential primary also in October.

The two candidates are not new to the presidential race. Buhari, a former military head of state, is contesting the election for a record fifth time, having made three unsuccessful attempts in 2003, 2007 and 2011 before emerging the President in 2015 after defeating the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

Atiku, on the other hand, is flying the flag of a major opposition party for the second time. He contested under the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2007 but lost to former President Umaru Yar’Adua.

While Buhari is promising to strengthen the fight against corruption, Atiku has pledged to restructure the country and stimulate economic growth.

Although the two heavyweights are from the North which has the highest population, and have in the last 14 weeks engaged in heated political campaigns across the country, some factors might determine the direction the pendulum of votes will swing in the six geopolitical zones on Saturday (today).

NORTH-WEST

Jigawa

In the 2015 presidential election, the APC polled 885,988 votes as against the PDP’s 142,904 votes, to win in Jigawa State; it also won the governorship election. The influence of Governor Abubakar Badaru and the party’s support base could provide a huge advantage for Buhari in today’s election. However, Atiku could make an inroad through the influence of the PDP leaders in the zone, including former governor Sule Lamido, who would prefer state returned to the PDP.READ MORE HERE

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