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Nigeria’s Buhari wins re-election
ABUJA, Feb 27, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Muhammadu Buhari was on Wednesday re-
elected Nigeria’s president, after a delayed poll that angered voters and
raised political temperatures, leading to claims of rigging and collusion.
With ballots counted in all of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT), Buhari, 76, triumphed with some 15.2 million votes over his
nearest rival Atiku Abubakar, who trailed by nearly four million votes.
“Muhammadu Buhari… is hereby declared winner and is returned elected,”
Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) announced early Wednesday.
It was the second victory at the ballot box for Buhari, a one-time
military ruler who in 2015 was elected to lead Africa’s most-populous nation
and leading oil producer.
Addressing supporters and party leaders at his All Progressives Congress
(APC) campaign headquarters, he called his win “another victory for Nigerian
democracy.”
“The new administration will intensify its efforts in security,
restructuring the economy and fighting corruption,” he said. “We will strive
to strengthen our unity and inclusiveness so that no section or group will
feel left behind, or left out.”
Supporters had gathered outside the party’s offices in the capital Abuja
late Tuesday as it became clear that Buhari had an unassailable lead, dancing
and singing “We’re popping champagne!”
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo appeared in a video clip singing “Up we go!”
in a reference to Buhari and his “Next Level” campaign slogan.
But there were none of the spontaneous street parties that marked his
victory four years ago, when he became Nigeria’s first opposition candidate
to beat an incumbent president.
To win the presidency, a candidate needs a majority of votes nationwide
and at least 25 percent of support in two-thirds of the states plus the FCT.
The results showed Buhari won 15,191,847 votes (56 percent) while
Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 11,262,978 votes (41
percent).
Buhari won in 19 states — including the two most populous, Lagos and Kano
— while Abubakar was victorious in 17 states and the FCT.
There was no immediate official concession from Abubakar, whose party had
earlier called on INEC to halt the count, citing irregularities.
– Legal challenge? –
In 2015, president Goodluck Jonathan won plaudits for conceding to Buhari
in a phone call, when the results indicated he could not win.
The concession is acknowledged as having prevented a repeat of the
political violence that has marked previous elections in Nigeria, in which
hundreds of people have been killed.
This year’s election — the sixth in the 20 years since the return of
civilian rule after decades of military government — was initially scheduled
for February 16.
MORE/MSY/1222 hrs
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But INEC postponed them for one week just hours before polls were due to
open, citing logistical difficulties in delivering ballot boxes and other
election materials.
Voting took place on Saturday after a week in which the APC and PDP
intensified their war of words, accusing the other of conspiring with INEC to
rig the result.
The PDP’s claimed data from handheld devices used to authenticate voters’
identities at nearly 120,000 polling units had been altered in favour of the
ruling party.
It called for the results in at least two states to be re-run and for a
reversal of the cancellation of tens of thousands of “valid, legal” votes
elsewhere.
Observers also pointed out discrepancies in declared tallies.
The claims — and Abubakar’s insistence that he would only accept a free,
fair and credible election — could be a prelude to a legal challenge of the
outcome.
– Voter apathy –
The vote was marred by violence, including 53 deaths, according to the
Situation Room, an umbrella group of more than 70 civil society groups that
monitored polling.
Some observers reported instances of vote-buying, intimidation and
violence towards voters and officials, which have been a problem in previous
polls in Nigeria.
The issues will likely prompt calls for electoral reform, including the
introduction of technology capable of directly transmitting results from
polling units.
Several international monitors meanwhile said repeated postponements could
undermine confidence in the electoral process, after similar delays in 2011
and 2015.
A total of 72.7 million people were eligible to vote in the presidential
poll as well as parliamentary elections held at the same time.
Low voter turnout — in some places as low as 18 percent — was blamed on
a combination of apathy because of the delay, organisational and logistical
problems, as well as unrest.
But Nana Nwachukwu, a lawyer and political activist, said: “If people
could see the effects (of voting) they would care more.
“You pump your own water, fuel your own electricity, transportation is
private. That apathy is their because people don’t rely on government.”
BSS/AFP/MSY/1222 hrs