Ivory Coast voters will decide Saturday whether President Alassane Ouattara will claim a controversial third term.
During his final campaign rally Thursday, Ouattara told thousands of supporters to vote and not allow themselves to be prevented from voting, telling them to protect polling stations.
Concerns about election violence have grown in recent weeks following demonstrations and attacks. The home of top opposition candidate Pascal Affi N’Guessan was set on fire and an office of his Ivorian Popular Front party was attacked.
Two other candidates, former president Henri Konan Bedie, leader of the Democratic Party of the Ivory Coast, and Independent candidate Kouadio Konan Bertin, are seeking to unseat Quattara.
Quattara decided to seek reelection in August following the July death of his successor, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly.
Quattara rejected claims by opponents, who said his run for a third term violated the constitution, arguing the two-term limit does not apply to him under a new constitution adopted in 2016..
