Buhari re-elected as Nigeria’s President

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has won his re-election bid after defeating his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to emerge winner of the 2019 Presidential election.

Buhari who wields enormous support in Northern Nigeria, polled 15,191,847 votes while Atiku gained 11,262,978 votes, a margin of 3,928,869 votes.

The president won in Ekiti (219,231), Osun (347,634), Kwara (308,984), Nasarawa (289,903), Kogi (285,894), Gombe (402,961), Yobe (497,914), Niger (612,371), Jigawa (794,738), and Kaduna (993,445).

Other states where he won are Bauchi (798,428), Lagos (580,825), Ogun (281,762), Kano (1,464,768), Katsina (1,232,133), Borno (836,496), Sokoto (490,333), Kebbi (581,552), and Zamfara (438,682).

On his part, Atiku won in the FCT (259,997), Ondo (275,901), Abia (219,698), Enugu (355,553), Ebonyi (258,573), Anambra (524,738), Oyo (366,690), Adamawa (410,266), Edo (275,691), Benue (275,691).

Other states where he won are Imo (334,923), Plateau (548,665), Taraba (374,743), Cross River (295,737), Akwa-Ibom (395,832), Delta (594,068), Bayelsa (197,933) and Rivers (473,971).

The retired army officer’s journey to the presidency began in 2003 when he contested under the platform of the now defunct All Peoples Party, APP but he lost to the incumbent president Olusegun Obasanjo. His running mate was former senate president, late Chuba Okadigbo. He challenged his defeat up to the Supreme court but lost.

In 2007 he was fielded by the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP with Chief Edwin Ume-Ezuoke as his running mate. He lost the election to late Umar Yar’Adua who emerged as the president in an election marred with irregularities. The late Yar’Adua was reported to have denounced the election process that enthroned him. Buhari challenged his defeat yet again unsuccessfully in the court.

The Congress for Progressive Change, CPC was birthed a few months before the 2011 general election. The party fielded Buhari as its presidential candidate to challenge PDP’s Goodluck Jonathan. A coalition between the CPC and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN fell through at the last minute and Buhari with his running mate Pastor Tunde Bakare were trounced at the poll. The hallmark of that election was the open shedding of tears by Buhari who also swore that he would not seek for public office again. He tried unsuccessfully to challenge the outcome in the court.

But in 2015, after the merger of the legacy parties which include CPC, ACN, ANPP and a faction of APGA, Buhari was nominated alongside Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to challenge the incumbent and PDP candidate, President Jonathan who was facing an implosion within his party. His government faced credibility challenges over governmental profligacy, having been painted as thriving in deep corruption.

This time, the sympathy of Nigerians had swayed in Buhari’s way having successfully sold a sanctimonious personality. Mid way into the collation of 2015 presidential election, Jonathan stared by possibility of defeat and having openly sworn that his victory was not worth the blood of any Nigeria, hurriedly made that historic phone call to Buhari and conceded defeat much to the relief of millions of Nigerians who had expected the worst owning to the tensed political atmosphere inherent.

In 2015, Mr Buhari polled a total of 15,416,221 votes to defeat PDP’s President Jonathan, who got 12,853,162 votes. Pooling 15,191,847 again 2019 is clearly an indication that Buhari still maintains his grip of the northern support even though, his main challenger, Atiku is not just a co northerner but also a fulani tribesman.

PDP has challenged the process and outcome of this election and has called for cancellation of the polls for reasons bothering on intimidation, thuggery, failure to use smart card reader, falsification of results, snuffing of ballot box amongst others.

It is not known what further steps PDP will take but the party has muted approaching the court to seek redress.

Meanwhile, the reelected President Buhari who has since returned to Abuja from Daura, his home town is expected to make a public acceptance speech in due course.

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