/ 28 February 1999

‘VIGILANCE’ URGED IN NIGERIAN POLL

ORGANISERS of Nigeria’s weekend presidential vote urged vigilance on Friday as the country prepared to choose a new political leader. The Independent National Electoral Commission urged a high turnout in Saturday’s ballot as voters choose between former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo and former finance minister Olu Falae for president. Continuing campaigning up to the last minute, Falae used an extended deadline of noon on Friday to hold a rally in the south-west town of Ibadan. Obasanjo, who had formally stopped campaigning, met officials in eastern Nigeria before returning home to Abeokuta late on Friday. About 60 million ballot papers were distributed on Friday to the 110000 polling stations throughout the country.

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