Presidential candidates deliver final messages

Abuja - Campaigning wound to a close in Nigeria's presidential
elections on Thursday, with the two leading candidates
delivering their final messages to supporters before the crunch
vote.hey p challenge from former military ruler Muhammadu
Buhari.
Land and sea borders were shut at midnight on Wednesday
(2300 GMT) as part of stringent security measures that also
include an eight-hour restriction on movement when polling
stations are open.
Nigeria has a history of election-related unrest and both
candidates appeared keen to prevent a repeat of 2011, when
1,000 people were killed in clashes after the results were
announced.
This time round, fears of Boko Haram suicide attacks and
bombings at vulnerable targets, including polling stations, have
seen unprecedented calls for vigilance from the security
services.
'Peace deal'
Jonathan and Buhari signed a pledge of non-violence in
January and on Thursday repeated their commitment to
peaceful elections, with the campaign due to formally end at
midnight.
"Now that the campaigns have come to an end, we meet to
renew our pledge for peaceful elections," read a document
signed by the two men at a hotel in Abuja and made available
to reporters.
"We therefore call on all fellow citizens of our dear country and
our party supporters to refrain from violence or any acts that
may in any way jeopardise our collective vision of a free, fair
and credible election."
The country is almost evenly split between a Muslim-majority
north and largely Christian south, with Buhari and Jonathan
traditionally pulling support from their respective regions.
Acceptance of the result is seen as key to preventing violence
and the Independent National Electoral Commission said it had
been working with the parties to tone down often violent
rhetoric.
"All this will add up when the elections are through and the
results are announced and we see that they conduct
themselves in accordance with the pledges and promises that
have been made," INEC spokesman Kayode Idowu told AFP.
Final messages
Jonathan published a "thank you" message to Nigerians on the
front page of many national newspapers, with a 40-page
colour pull-out detailing his claimed achievements.
But the president recognised the challenge from Buhari and his
All Progressives Congress (APC) which could see his ruling
party defeated for the first time since the end of military rule in
1999.
"Right now there are only a few more hours to the election. I
cannot recall an election more important than this in the
history of our nation and I need your support," the 57-year-old
wrote.
"I need you to vote for me in this election, not just because of
me, but so that we consolidate on the progress we have
made."
Jonathan is campaigning for continuity and has vowed to
complete the work he has started in his first four years in
office.
Buhari, 72, who headed a military government in the 1980s
and describes himself as a "converted democrat", has for his
part pushed an agenda of "change".
He criticised "insecurity, broken infrastructure and growing
inequality", vowing action against Boko Haram and corruption,
which he said had made Nigeria "a laughing stock of the
world".
"Rebuilding the army and other security agencies will... be a
top priority of my government. I will ensure that never again
will terrorists find a safe haven in Nigeria," he added.
He said he would also reunite the more than 200 schoolgirls
kidnapped by the group in April last year with their families.
INEC on track
The electoral commission charged with organising the election
in Africa's most populous nation meanwhile said it was on
track for a smooth operation.
Some 68.8 million voters out of a total population of some 173
million are registered to vote in Nigeria, which is also Africa's
leading economy and top oil producer.
Ballot papers and election materials, including for the first time
handheld readers to scan biometric voter identity cards, had
been sent to the country's 36 states and capital territory.
"Everything is in place," said INEC's Idowu.
INEC has come under scrutiny for its preparedness, even after
the initial February 14 vote was postponed because of military
operations against Boko Haram in the northeast.
Jonathan's PDP voiced concern about the distribution of voter
cards and the card-reading technology.
But Idowu said the election "will be as flawless as humanly
possible" and that results would be announced within 48 hours
of polls closing on Saturday.