Nigeria elects Buhari as Prez

Abuja, April 1

Challenger Muhammadu Buhari won Nigeria’s presidential election by 2.57 million votes, official results showed today, defeating incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in the first democratic change of power in Africa’s most populous nation.

Buhari congratulated outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan for peacefully relinquishing power on Wednesday, a day after becoming the first politician in Nigeria’s history to remove a sitting leader at the ballot box.

In an unprecedented step, Jonathan phoned Buhari to concede defeat and urged his supporters to accept the result. The victory writes a new chapter in the country’s often turbulent history after six military coups since independence in 1960 and 16 years of unbroken civilian rule by Jonathan’s party.

The gripping contest also capped a remarkable transformation for 72-year-old former army general Buhari, who led a tough military regime in the 1980s but now describes himself as a “converted democrat”.

Thousands spilled onto the streets of northern Nigeria’s biggest city, Kano, in celebration, shouting campaign slogan “Sai Buhari” (“Only Buhari”) as he took an unassailable lead with one state to declare.

In another northern city of Kaduna—the scene of rioting after the 2011 presidential election—supporters of his All Progressives Congress (APC) chanted: “Change! Change!”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Buhari won 15,424,921 votes, or 53.95 percent, of the 28,587,564 total valid ballots cast. Rival Jonathan, 57, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won 12,853,162 votes (44.96 percent) in the election held Saturday and Sunday.

US President Barack Obama praised Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan today for conceding defeat in an election that he said showed "Nigeria's commitment to democratic principles." — Reuters