For the first time in its history, Ivory Coast is holding a presidential election dubbed by the local and international media as “historic”, because it allowed all desiring aspirants to run, and it is hoped to definitely put an end to a military-political crisis that has split the nation into a rebel-held north and a government controlled south since September 2002; and also grounded the onetime economic power of the sub-region.

About 5.7 million Ivorian voters bear the destiny of the total 20 million inhabitants as they swoon to the centres tomorrow to cast their votes and open a new page of history for Ivory Coast.

The three main candidates – Laurent Gbagbo, Alassane Ouattara and Henri Konan Bédié - among others, peacefully rounded off their campaigns on Friday, thanking supporters, sympathisers, the security forces and the media for a job well done in ensuring a trouble-free campaign.

Gbagbo closed his campaign at the 34,000-seater Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan (economic capital), immensely packed with supporters dressed in white and blue T-shirts. While Alassane Ouattara, popularly known as ADO, paraded the streets of Abidjan in an open-deck vehicle, with thousands of chanting sympathisers accompanying. Bédié was in Grand Lahou, a locality south-west of Abidjan, where he was received by traditional rulers and thousands of traders and local farmers.

The streets of Abidjan, Yamoussoukro (political capital) and Bouaké (rebel stronghold) were quiet on Saturday morning, with no more campaigns animations. But one could sense the tension ahead of tomorrow’s event.

Some families are stocking food items like bags of rice, yams, plantains, fish, etc, as a precaution against post-electoral crisis, even when everybody seemingly wishes for a peaceful aftermath.

Some churches held all-night meetings on Friday, praying for a peaceful election.

The eventual winner of the polls will face the enormous task of disarming the northern rebels and reunifying the country before proceeding to reconcile Ivorians, many of whom are alienated by politics and social tensions.

The question of creating a peaceful climate to lure back foreign investors who deserted the country in the wake of the crisis will be the new president’s priority, in order to create jobs for the youths, which was the major promise of most of the candidates.