President Muhammadu Buhari Wins Re-election Bid

-Says Troublemakers In A Handful Of States Attempted To Disrupt The Orderly Process

-Tasks Security Agencies To Bring To Justice All Those Arrested

-Appeals To Supporters Not To Gloat, Humiliate The Opposition

-Promises To Intensify Efforts In Security, Restructuring The Economy, Fight Against Corruption

By Daniel Dafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has won his re-election bid as he polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party in the presidential poll conducted on February 23.

Atiku polled 11,262,978 to lose the election with a margin of 3,928,869 votes.

This is according to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s collated figure of votes from all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory released on Wednesday morning.

With the figure released by INEC at the national collation centre in Abuja on Wednesday morning, the incumbent President has more than 25 per cent of the election in over 24 states.

He also defeated his closest rival with close to 4, 000, 000 votes.

Atiku also had 25 per cent of the total votes cast in over 24 states but lost the poll when the simple majority rule condition is applied.

While President Buhari won in 19 states, Atiku won in 17 states and the FCT.

The states Buhari won are Bauchi, Borno, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.

Atiku won in Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba and the FCT.

In a statement on the outcome of the election, President Muhammadu Buhari during a meeting this morning with party leaders at the presidential campaign office in Abuja, thanked the millions of Nigerians who voted to re-elect him president for the next four years.

He said: “I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful to you for judging me worthy of continuing to serve you and for your peaceful conduct. In particular, I would like to thank Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for his masterful leadership as Co-chair of the Campaign Council. I would like to also thank the Party Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, the Director General of the Campaign Council Rotimi Amaechi, all members of the Presidential Campaign Council and other various Support Groups.”

“Although Saturday’s elections were relatively peaceful, troublemakers in a handful of states attempted to disrupt an otherwise orderly process. Security agencies will bring to justice all those arrested in the process. I am very sad at the grievous loss of lives during these elections. Security agencies will step up their efforts to protect voters in the forthcoming State elections.

Buhari also appealed to his supporters not to gloat or humiliate the opposition, adding that victory is enough reward for their efforts.

According to him, “the new administration will intensify its efforts in security, restructuring the economy and fighting corruption.”
“We have laid down the foundation and we are committed to seeing matters to the end. We will strive to strengthen our unity and inclusiveness so that no section or group will feel left behind or left out,” he added.