Nigeria’s main opposition presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar ha surged the country’s citizens to come out in large numbers to vote in the elections scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 23.
The 72-year-old made the remarks in a Twitter broadcast on Thursday, a few hours before the end of campaigns.
Nigerians were initially set to vote on February 16, but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) pushed forward the presidential election by one week, citing logistical and operational challenges.
That postponement caused uproar among some Nigerians, some of whom said they would not go out to vote on the new date.
In his address on Thursday, Atiku said the exercise was important in shaping the future of the West African country.
“My dear citizens of Nigeria, as you know this Saturday we have our presidential and national assembly elections. The reason we have elections is to allow us to have our voices heard on how we have been governed for the last four years and who will govern us for the next four years.
“Please come out and vote as this election is about your future and the future of our nation. On election day, we are all equal, as no single vote is more important than the other. But if you do not vote, you will be accepting that the next four years will like the last,” Atiku said.
Atiku’s call was a reiteration of an earlier message from President Muhammadu Buhari, who urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the electoral system because of the change in dates.
“I wish to commiserate with millions of Nigerians who either traveled hundreds of kilometers to cast their votes or put so may things on hold in order to cast their votes last weekend but could not do so. I thank you for your commitment and I appeal to you not to lose hope in our electoral system. I ask you not to allow the unexpected postponement of the election dates by INEC to prevent you from exercising your civic rights,” President Buhari said on Tuesday.
Over 84 million Nigerians are registered to participate in the 2019 presidential elections, and they will have to choose from a pool of 73 candidates.
