The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday, declared Bola Tinubu, the candidate of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress, as the winner of Saturday’s presidential election.
Tinubu defeated 17 other candidates who took part in the election, having scored a total of 8,794,726 votes. He also scored over 25 per cent of the votes cast in 30 states, more than the 24 states constitutionally required.
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His closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party polled a total of 6,984,520 votes in the election and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who came third had 6,101,533 votes.
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Battabox reviews five takeaways from Tinubu’s acceptance speech
- To my fellow candidates, former VP Atiku, former governor Kwankwaso, former governor Obi and all others, I extend the hand of friendship. This was a competitive, high-spirited campaign. You have my utmost respect.
- I know some candidates will be hard put to accept the election results. It is your right to seek legal recourse. What is neither right nor defensible is for anybody to resort to violence. Any challenge to the electoral outcome should be made in a court of law, and not in the streets.
- Today, you have given me the greatest honor you can bestow on one man. In return, I will give you my utmost as your next president and commander-in-chief. Peace, unity and prosperity shall be the cornerstones of the society we intend to build. When you gaze upon what we shall accomplish in the coming years, you shall speak with pride at being a Nigerian.
- Political competition must now give way to political conciliation and inclusive governance.
- We commend INEC for running a free and fair election. The lapses that did occur were relatively few in number and were immaterial to the final outcome. With each cycle of elections, we steadily perfect this process so vital to our democratic life.
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