Presentation of Certificate of Return by Nigeria's Chief Returning Officer. Inset: Commonwealth Observer Chairperson Jakaya Kikwete. [photos: INEC, ComSec]
The Commonwealth Group observing Nigeria’s 23 February general election has said that Nigerians had the opportunity to express their will and exercise their franchise.
However, the Observer Group Chair, Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania, said in an interim statement:
“Election-related violence and loss of life, which occurred in a number of places, is deeply troubling. Nigeria can do better. Violence has no place in a modern democracy.”
Dr Kikwete said that those responsible for the violence should be held accountable. He encouraged all political parties to honour their commitment under the National Peace Accord.
In results announced on 27 February by the Independent National Electoral Commission, President Muhammadu Buhari was declared the winner with 15.2m votes. Runner-up, Atiku Abubakar, received 11.3 million. Mr Abubakar has vowed to go to court, describing the result as a “throwback to the jackboot era of military dictatorship”.
Nigeria’s Premium Times has said that President Buhari and his team can be expected to “hit the ground running” after his election win, “proffering solutions to some of the most pressing challenges that beleaguered the country”.
Related articles:
Commonwealth observers share initial findings on Nigeria elections – Commonwealth Secretariat
Nigeria’s 2019 election ‘last gasp of the old order’: Moghalu – Al Jazeera
What we’ve learnt from the Nigerian election – BBC News
Nigeria: We Are Not Bothered By Atiku’s Threat to Go to Court – Presidency – All Africa.com
Buhari: The Making of a President – Book review, Round Table
