Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first African-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
USAfrica: Nigerians vote for President and future for an embattled country
After years of preparation, mobilization and registration of new voters, mainly young people, Nigerians are casting their ballots to elect a new President.
Millions of Nigerians have expressed hope they will use their PVCs (Permanent Voter Cards) to help choose a better future for their embattled country.
Today, February 25, 2023, 18 candidates are competing for the leadership of Africa’s most populous nation of a projected 212 million people. 17 men and only 1 woman qualified and are on the ballot.
They include the candidate of the country’s ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu — a former Governor of Lagos State; People’s Democratic Party candidate Atiku Abubakar – a former vice president of Nigeria; Labour Party’s Peter Obi — a former Governor of Anambra State who has been leading in most of the opinion polls; Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
— a former Governor of Kano State; and journalist and activist Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress.
During his February 24, 2023 international press conference in Abuja, the Chairman of INEC Mahmood Yakubu, said that “Voting begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow. However, any voting on the queue before 2:30 pm would be allowed to vote even if voting goes before the official closing time. No voter would be disenfranchised.”
On INEC’s preparedness, he added that “We have established a situation room here at our national collation center. Our INEC citizens’ contact centre is already up and running. Nigerians can contact us on our well-publicized social media handle live and direct on election day.”
By USAfricaonline.com correspondents Aliyu Usman and Janet Johnson
