President of the United States Barack Obama on Saturday told the black community in the country that they need to go all out to cast their votes in the forthcoming election.

Obama made the plea in a passionate speech he delivered at the Congressional Black Caucus’ Foundation saying the only way his legacy could be kept was by the people voting.

He said failure to vote would bring to a halt all the things he achieved as President in the last eight years.

He said, “If I hear anybody saying their vote does not matter. That it doesn’t matter who we elect, read up on your history, it matters. We’ve got to get people to vote. In fact if you want to give Michelle and me a good send off… get people registered to vote if you care about our legacy.

Realise everything we stand for is at stake. All the progress we’ve made is at stake in this election. My name may not be on the ballot, but our progress is on the ballot. Tolerance is on the ballot. Democracy is on the ballot. Justice is on the ballot. Good schools are on the ballot. Ending mass incarceration, that’s on the ballot right now.

And there’s one candidate who will advance those things, and there is another candidate whose defining principle, the central theme of his candidacy is opposition to all that we’ve done.

“There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter. It all matters, and after we have achieved historic turnout in 2008, and in 2012, especially in the African-American community, I’d consider it a personal insult, an insult to my legacy if this community lets down its guard, and fails to activate itself in this election. You want to give me a good send off, go vote. And I’m going to be working as had as I can these seven weeks to make sure folks do.”

Americans will go to the polls on Tuesday November 2, 2016 to elect a new president who will succeed Barack Obama.

The candidates vying for a seat at the Oval in the White House are Senator Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party and Donald Trump of the Republican Party.

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Oludolapo Adelana

Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.