Ofure Akhigbe
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has urged young people to turn out in large numbers for Saturday’s presidential election, presenting himself as the candidate most committed to their welfare.
Voters in the West African nation of 32 million will go to the polls with 83-year-old Ouattara seeking a fourth term in office against four other candidates.
The election comes amid heightened political tensions after several prominent opposition figures — including former President Laurent Gbagbo and former Credit Suisse chief executive Tidjane Thiam — were barred from contesting.
Ouattara, who in 2016 oversaw constitutional changes that removed presidential term limits, is widely seen by analysts as the frontrunner.
He has pledged to tackle security and economic challenges if re-elected, while opposition leaders accuse his administration of suppressing dissent and manipulating the electoral process.
The exclusion of key rivals from the race has sparked protests across the country, which authorities have sought to quell. Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested, with some already serving jail sentences.