• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

UPDATE: Buhari Wins Nigeria Elections

Buhari Victorious

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s has been re-elected for a second term of four years, numbers from the Independent National Electoral Commission got (INEC) show.

Buhari’s final vote tally was 15.19 million as against that of his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar who had 11.26 million votes.

The 71 other candidates got 1.38 million votes combined.

The margin of victory was 52 percent versus 39 percent in Buhari’s favour, with the latter winning in 19 states, just one more than Atiku, who won in 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The 2019 voter turnout of 35 percent is the lowest since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999. In 2015, turnout was 43 percent.

Buhari’s votes were down from the 15.42 million he clinched to defeat then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

Votes for Atiku’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were also down from 12.85 million four years ago.

Although the INEC has not officially declared Buhari the winner, the numbers suggest he won. Buhari certainly has his work cut out for him.