The candidate Bola Tinubu of the Congress of Progressives (APC), the ruling party in Nigeria, was declared, on Wednesday March 1st, the winner of the presidential election of February 25th by the Electoral Commission (Inec).
Bola Tinubu, 70, collected more than 8.8 million votes, ahead of Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who obtained 6.9 million votes and for, and Peter Obi of the Labor Party (LP ) with 6.1 million votes. Abubakar is running for the 6th time in a presidential poll.
The PDP and the LP, the main opposition parties, had already called, the day before the proclamation of the results, for the cancellation of the election which would be marred, according to them, by « massive » fraud. They refused to endorse « a sham election » and demanded that a « new ballot » be held.
Inec called these accusations “unfounded and irresponsible”. « When they are not satisfied with the result of an election », the candidates « are free to address the courts », she underlined, also pointing out that one cannot ask for the cancellation of an election before its end.
For his part, Tinubu called on his “competitors to team up together”. “It’s the only nation we have (…) It’s a country that we have to build together, to pick up the broken pieces. We must work in unity,” he continued.
Eighteen candidates were in the running for the presidency. To win in the first round, a candidate had to secure a majority of votes and more than 25% of votes in two-thirds of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1069 of 01/03/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
