LAGOS – In Nigeria’s contentious presidential election, the ruling party’s candidate Bola Tinubu (70) has been proclaimed victorious as official results indicate that the veteran politician, received 37% of the vote.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Atiku Abubakar, his main opponent, received 29% of the vote, while Peter Obi, a Labour Party candidate, received 25%.
Tinubu who ran under the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket replaces outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari, ineligible for office after completing his two terms as stipulated by the constitution.
Earlier on Sunday, their parties had called for a rerun of the election, calling it a fraud after issues to do with use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
One of Nigeria’s wealthiest politicians, Tinubu, based his candidacy on his success in rebuilding Lagos, the country’s largest city, while serving as governor.
Nevertheless, Obi, a relative newcomer who rallied the support of many young people, particularly in metropolitan areas, defeated him in the city, upending the two-party system of the nation.
In his native south-west, where he is regarded as a “political godfather” for assisting in the election of others, Tinubu won the majority of the other states.
He ran for president using the Yoruba phrase “Emi lo kan,” which translates to “It’s my time.”
In his acceptance speech on Wednesday, the victorious Tinubu called for reconciliation.
“I take this opportunity to appeal to my fellow contestants to let us team up together. It is the only nation we have. It is one country and we must build it together,” he said in a televised speech.
Official figures show a 27% voter turnout for Nigeria 2023 elections, the lowest since the end of military control in 1999.
