ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Candidates in Ivory Coast’s presidential election held their final rallies Thursday as the campaign officially concluded in the West African nation of 30 million people.

The country goes to the polls on Saturday with incumbent President Alassane Ouattara seeking a fourth term that would bring his rule over the cocoa-rich nation to almost two decades. He is running under the ruling party, Rassemblement des Houphouetistes pour la Paix, with the slogan “For a Great Nation.”

8.7 million people have registered to vote in the election, with four weakened opposition parties challenging Ouattara.

Thousands of Ouattara supporters converged in central Abidjan after an earlier street party on Thursday. From a location overlooking the city’s new bridges at the final rall

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