President Goodluck Jonathan addressed thousands of supporters Saturday, just two weeks before polls open for the presidential election. The leader pledged change for the continents most populous nation, which is also Africa's leading oil producer. This rally, held at the capitol of the country, is the conclusion of a nation-wide tour begun in February
In the speech, the candidate commended the recent violence that has rocked the country; numbers bombing and killings over the last few months. He also vowed to fight corruption, as well as improve infrastructure and education in Nigeria.
The rally was held at Eagle Square in Abuja; heavy security was in place. At the same location in October, two car bombs went off killing 12 as the county celebrated it's 50th year of independence.
Jonathan is the clear-front runner for the election, which will take place on April 9. He rules the People's Democratic Party, which has won every election since 1999. His major contender is ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari. Jonathan sits at 60%, compared to Buhari's 22%.
This rally shows that the Nigerian presidential campaigning system appears very similar to ours. The promises made by candidates also parallels what ours tend to do. It will be interesting to see if the winner, likely Jonathan, follows through on at least some of the pledges he's made. Exploring the campaigning process and how people come to power is a crucial part of our class, and an interesting transformation to observe in many different countries.
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