By ISMAILA CHAFE

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the winner of the 2023 Presidential Election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday morning declared Tinubu as winner of Feb. 25 presidential election with 8,794,726 votes.

Tinubu defeated his closest rival Atiku Abubakar of the People Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of Labour Party who secured 6,101,533 votes of the 24,965,218 total votes cast.

Also, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso- of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) came distance fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

Reacting to the results announced by the INEC chairman, Buhari said:

“I congratulate His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory. Elected by the people, he is the best person for the job. I shall now work with him and his team to ensure an orderly handover of power.

“The election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise. In a region that has undergone backsliding and military coups in recent years, this election demonstrates democracy’s continued relevance and capability to deliver for the people it serves.

“Within Nigeria, the results reveal democracy’s ripening in our country. Never has the electoral map shifted so drastically in one cycle.

“In the presidential elections, states in all regions across the nation changed colour.

“Some amongst you may have noticed my home state amongst them. The winning candidate did not carry his own home state either. That happens during a competitive election.

“Votes and those that cast them cannot be taken for granted. Each must be earned. Competition is good for our democracy.

“There is no doubt the people’s decision has been rendered in the results we look at today.”

The president, who acknowledged that there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results, maintained that efforts would be intensified to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure in the country.

He said: “That is not to say the exercise was without fault. For instance, there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results.

“Of course, there will be areas that need work to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure.

“However, none of the issues registered represent a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections.”

“I know some politicians and candidates may not agree with this view. That too is fine.

“If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence.

“If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets.

“However, to do the latter means they are not doing it in the interest of the people, but rather to inflame, to put people in harm’s way and all for personal, selfish gains,” he said.

The president enjoined all the candidates to abide by the peace accord they signed before the conduct of the election, urging them to always avoid any action capable of undermining the credibility of INEC.

He said: “After a degree of polarization that necessarily accompanies any election, it is now time to come together and act responsibly.

“I call on all the candidates to remember the peace pledge they signed just days before the election.

“Do not undermine the credibility of INEC. Let us now move forward as one. The people have spoken.” (NAN)

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