The North's parties begin the final two days of campaigning with renewed squabbling over transfers and an intensification of hostility between Ulster Unionists and the DUP.
The Northern Secretary broke his customary election campaign silence yesterday to underscore his commitment to restoring devolution as soon as possible.
Mr Paul Murphy told Sky News yesterday that the desire to have devolution at Stormont was "a common denominator" among the parties. He confirmed there would be a renewed effort after Wednesday's election to seek agreement leading to restoration.
Emphasising the importance of the election, Mr Murphy called on voters to turn out in strength. "What's at stake is the progress of the peace process," he said.
The Sinn Féin president returned to campaigning at the weekend following his family bereavement. He spent time in Lagan Valley where the party is hoping to take a seat.
Referring to his party's ambitions Mr Adams said: "In this election Sinn Féin is asking the electorate to defend the agreement, to give their first preference to Sinn Féin candidates and to transfer to Sinn Féin candidates. We are asking the electorate to return Sinn Féin First or Deputy First Minister and to maximise nationalist representation." Sinn Féin strategists are confident of raising their Stormont tally from 18 to about 23 seats and of increasing significantly the numbers of transfers it receives.
The party has also made it clear it wants its supporters to vote down the Sinn Féin ticket before transferring to the SDLP and then to other pro-agreement candidates. Mr Adams said: "The feedback is very positive. "
The SDLP leader was also canvassing in Lagan Valley, where it is defending a seat, and also in Strangford where it hopes to win a seat from anti-agreement unionists. Mr Mark Durkan forecast the counts would be close. "The results of the assembly election are going to be incredibly tight - one or two seats will be all that will stand between a strong pro-agreement majority or extra power for the DUP who want to wreck the agreement.
"Lagan Valley and Strangford are key battlegrounds in this election - and the anti-agreement forces are trying to win extra seats here to strengthen their agreement-wrecking position," he said. The SDLP also criticised the Ulster Unionists over remarks made by Sir Reg Empey. He had advised UUP supporters to transfer to pro-Union candidates ahead of pro-agreement candidates. His remarks, made to the BBC, were criticised by the DUP's Mr Nigel Dodds who said they illustrated confusion within the Ulster Unionists.
The SDLP also criticised the former minister. Ms Patricia Lewsley said: "Reg Empey ought to have a bit more guts than to stand up and tell people they should transfer to the DUP. He and David Trimble have become unionist jellyfish - utterly without backbone - in the way they have caved in to the DUP and its fellow travellers."