MUST READ: Buhari’s Acceptance Speech.

The Die is Cast

Acceptance Statement by General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President-Elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. April 1st, 2015

 

I am immensely grateful to God for this day and for this hour. I feel truly honoured and humbled that the Nigerian people have so clearly chosen me to lead them. The official announcement from INEC was the moment the vast majority of Nigerians had hoped and been waiting for. Today, history has been made, and change has finally come. Your votes have changed our national destiny for the good of all Nigerians .

INEC has announced that I, Muhammadu Buhari, shall be your next president. My team and I shall faithfully serve you. There shall no longer be a ruling party again: APC will be your governing party. We shall faithfully serve you. We shall never rule over the people as if they were subservient to government.

Our long night has passed and the daylight of new democratic governance has broken across the land. This therefore is not a victory for one man or even one party. It is a victory for Nigeria and for all Nigerians. Millions of you have worked for this day. So many have risked life and livelihood; and others have died that we may witness this moment.

And it is with a very heavy heart that I report many deaths and injuries amidst the jubilations yesterday. We send our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives; and wish speedy recovery to those who suffered injuries. I appeal to all our supporters to celebrate this victory with prayers and reflection instead of wild jubilation.

!May the souls of those who died rest in peace. Let us take a moment of silence to honour all of those whose sacrifices have brought us to this fine and historic hour. As the results of the election have shown, their labor has not been and will never be in vain. Democracy and the rule of law will be re-established in the land.

Let us put the past, especially the recent past, behind us. We must forget our old battles and past grievances—and learn to forge ahead. I assure you that our government is one that will listen to and embrace all.

I pledge myself and our in-coming administration to just and principled governance. There shall be no bias against or favouritism for any Nigerian based on ethnicity, religion, region, gender or social status. I pledge myself and the government to the rule of law, in which none shall be so above the law that they are not subject to its dictates, and none shall be so below it that they are not availed of its protection.

You shall be able to go to bed knowing that you are safe and that your constitutional rights remain in safe hands. You shall be able to voice your opinion without fear of reprisal or victimisation. My love and concern for this nation and what I desire for it extends to all, even to those who do not like us or our politics. You are all my people and I shall treat everyone of you as my own. I shall work for those who voted for me as well as those who voted against me and even for those who did not vote at all. We all live under one name as one nation: we are all Nigerians.

Some unfortunate issues about my eligibility have been raised during the campaign. I wish to state that through devotion to this nation, everything I have learned and done has been to enable me to make the best possible contribution to public life. If I had judged myself incapable of governing I would never have sought to impose myself on it. I have served in various capacities and have always put in my best.

But despite the rancour of the elections, I extend a hand of friendship and conciliation to President Jonathan and his team. I hereby wish to state that I harbour no ill will against anyone.

Let me state clearly that President Jonathan has nothing to fear from me. Although we may not agree on the methods of governing the nation, he is a great Nigerian and still our president. He deserves our support and permanent respect by virtue of the office he has held. This is how an honourable nation treats its servants and conducts its affairs; and this is how Nigeria should be.

I look forward to meeting with President Jonathan in the days to come to discuss how our teams can make the transition of administrations as efficient as possible.

Here, I want to thank my party for selecting me as its candidate. I thank our party leaders and members for the steadfast contributions they made to bring our dream to fruition. I thank INEC, the police and all other government agencies for performing their tasks in a proper manner and for refusing to be induced to undermine the election and the democratic process.

I also wish to thank religious Leaders, traditional leaders, the media, labor unions, Civil Society organisations, organised private sector, youths and students for their roles in this election.

I give special thanks to President Obama and his timely intervention and support for peaceful and credible elections in Nigeria and for sending Secretary John Kerry and other United States officials. The European Union – especially the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other nations that were actively involved in ensuring the success of this election are equally appreciated. My sincere thanks to the United Nations Secretary General Mr Ban-Ki Moon. The Commonwealth, China, India and other Asian and Gulf states are also hereby appreciated. Finally our brothers in the African Union and ECOWAS have truly and clearly shown and demonstrate their commitment to our democratisation process. Former Presidents John Kuffour, Amos Sawyer, Bakili Muluzi and his team are well appreciated. I must also add my appreciation for the role played by civil societies, national and International observers, other world leaders in ensuring that Nigeria holds free and fair elections.

I assure all foreign governments that Nigeria will become a more forceful and constructive player in the global fight against terrorism and in other matters of collective concern, such as the fight against drugs, climate change, financial fraud, communicable diseases and other issues requiring global response. I want to assure our fellow African nations that Nigeria will now stand as a more constructive partner in advancing the matters of concern to our continent, particularly with regard to economic development and eradication of poverty.

Former head of state and president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, General Yakubu Gowon, Alh. Shehu Shagari, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan and General Abdulsalami Abubakar deserve commendations for their statesmanship and words of caution and counsel for peace during the tense moments of this electoral period.

Most of all, I thank the people of Nigeria for reposing their confidence in me at this trying moment. Our nation wrestles many challenges including insecurity, corruption, economic decline. I pledge to give you my best in tackling these problems.

The good people of Nigeria, your obligation does not end with casting your ballot. I seek your voice and input as we tackle these problems. This will not be a government democratic only in form. It will be a government democratic in substance and in how it interacts with its own people.

No doubt, this nation has suffered greatly in the recent past, and its staying power has been tested to its limits by crises, chief among which is insurgency of the Boko Haram. There is no doubt that in tackling the insurgency we have a tough and urgent job to do. But I assure you that Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will and commitment to rid this nation of terror, and bring back peace and normalcy to all the affected areas. We shall spare no effort until we defeat terrorism.

Furthermore, we shall strongly battle another form of evil that is even worse than terrorism—the evil of corruption. Corruption attacks and seeks to destroy our national institutions and character. By misdirecting into selfish hands funds intended for the public purpose, corruption distorts the economy and worsens income inequality. It creates a class of unjustly-enriched people.

Such an illegal yet powerful force soon comes to undermine democracy because its conspirators have amassed so much money that they believe they can buy government. We shall end this threat to our economic development and democratic survival. I repeat that corruption will not be tolerated by this administration; and it shall no longer be allowed to stand as if it is a respected monument in this nation.

I ask you to join me in resolving these and the other challenges we face. Along the way, there will be victories but there may also be setbacks. Mistakes will be made. But we shall never take you for granted; so, be rest assured that our errors will be those of compassion and commitment not of wilful neglect and indifference.

We shall correct that which does not work and improve that which does. We shall not stop, stand or idle. We shall, if necessary crawl, walk and run to do the job you have elected us to do.

I realise that the expectation of our people today is as high as their commitment to change has been strong and their belief in us unshaken. While we pledge to begin doing our best without delay, we would like to appeal to them to appreciate the gravity of our situation, so that we become more realistic in our expectations.

We will govern for you and in your interests. Your vote was not wasted. This is not the first time Nigerians have cast their votes for us, and this is not the first time they have been counted; but this is the first time that the votes have been allowed to count. With the help of God, we pledge to do our utmost to bring forth the Nigeria you seek.

Thank you for your patience and attention.

General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR

President-Elect,
Federal Republic of Nigeria

 

Patience Goodluck congratulates Aisha Buhari.

The First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan has congratulated the wife of the President-elect, Hajia Aisha Buhari on the election of her husband, General Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement signed by Ayo Adewuyi, Media officer to the First Lady, she appealed to Nigerian women to work with Hajia Aisha Buhari and give her the maximum support to make her succeed in her new assignment.

It would be recalled that Dame Patience Jonathan had launched several blistering attacks on General Buhari during her several campaign outings, including an allegation that the fromer head of state was ‘brain dead’.

[VANGUARD]

 

Obasanjo congratulates Buhari with a ‘Dear Muhammadu’ letter…

I hasten to congratulate you on your success and victory in the Presidential Elections of March 28, 2015.

Your success and victory after three previous unsuccessful attempts must be great lessons for you and for all politicians, particularly in Nigeria.

For me, the totality of 2015 elections hold many lessons for our democracy and democratisation process which are both maturing. On this occasion, the system has been unnecessarily overheated before and particularly during the campaigns when emphasis was more on trivialities and hate, divisive, undignifying and disrespectful statements and comments rather than on pressing issues requiring attention. I know that in victory, you will be magnanimous to start binding the wounds and bitterness occasioned by the campaign and evil disciples.

with so much harm already done to many institutions including the military, which proudly nurtured you and me, you will have a lot to do on institutions reform, education, healthcare, economy, security, infrastructure, power, youth employment, agribusiness, oil and gas, external affairs, cohesiveness of our nation and ridding our land of corruption. your varied and wide experience will undoubtedly stand in good stead.

i am also sure that there are men and women of goodwill, character and virtue across the board that can mobilise to join hands with you in the reform, repairs and re-direction that will be imperative to put Nigeria back on the fast lane of good governance, unity, cohesiveness, development and progress.

Once again, I felicitate with you and wish you well.

Yours sincerely

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

 

Femi Fani-Kayode: “I had nothing personal against anybody. I was simply doing my job”

The spokesperson for President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team, Femi Fani-Kayode, on Wednesday stated that all his attacks against the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, and his party, the All Progressives Congress, during the electioneering, were what his job required of him and not personal.

He also commended the APC campaign directorate for doing something “they believe in”.

“There was absolutely nothing personal as regards this Directorate or myself. I had nothing personal against anybody. I was simply doing my job for which I have no regrets and I wish them well and I sincerely hope that they will take Nigeria to a level that we can all be proud of,” he said.

Mr. Fani-Kayode also congratulated Mr. Buhari for his victory and also commended President Jonathan for conceding defeat.

“We start by saying that we commend and we congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari for winning this election. We also wish to commend our President, President Goodluck Jonathan, for having the courage to concede that he has lost the election at the earliest moment and also for being able to stand up and rise above party politics and being able to speak like a statesman,” he said.

The former Aviation Minister also prayed for peace in the country and success for Mr. Buhari.

“May God grant each and everyone of us peace. May He watch over our nation. May He guide our President for the next two months whilst he is still in power and thereafter and may He guide and lead the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, in the herculean task that lies ahead for him. 

“My prayer is that he brings our nation together, heals the wounds and that he builds the bridges in terms of religion, ethnicity and region that he needs to build in order for us to make Nigeria a better place and to ensure that Nigeria becomes a great country that she is destined to be,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to continue to support the PDP, despite losing the election.

He also asked for full cooperation to the incoming administration “and to remember that we are first and foremost Nigerians before anything else”.

Mr. Fani-Kayode said he had no regret for serving Mr. Jonathan and the PDP. He also advised the PDP not to lose hope.

“And having lost, it does not mean that it is the end to the world, it just means that we need to re-group, re-organise ourselves and begin the process all over again because another elections will come in a few years’ time. 

“And that is where we are today. We have conceded that we have lost. We acknowledge the fact that we fought a good fight. We do not have any fears about the future. We did the right thing during the campaign. We have no regrets about our candidate or the way in which we conducted our campaign and we will live to fight another day,” he said.

[PREMIUM TIMES]

JONATHAN’S DEFEAT – THE 5 ARCHITECTS.

Nigerians made history. For the first time in the nation’s democratic history, an incumbent president has been defeated. While incumbent governors have been defeated in the past, it was a feat many thought might not be possible at the centre for a long time to come. But Nigerians, by their votes, have shown the exit door to a government they deemed has not served them right.

But the trouncing of Goodluck Jonathan at the polls was not a happenstance. Perhaps, if there were those who did not see this coming, it was probably the president himself and some of his loyalists. Beyond this, however, there are some five key individuals who contributed to the electoral downfall of the president. Their actions and what they represented ensured that in less than two months from now, Jonathan will become a former president.

BUHARI: THE ULTIMATE CROWD PULLER

He is a man after the heart of the talakawas, the masses, in the northern part of Nigeria. These are young men and women who fanatically follow him – and have been doing so since 2003 when he first threw his hat in the ring. Buhari has always had a cult-like followership in up north but it was difficult to replicate in other parts of the country. However, the support base of the retired general moved beyond the north to the strategic south-western part of the country which has a strong media and publicity base, in addition to a large population of voters. From a man who consistently won 12 million votes in the north without any major finance or structure, he was successfully sold to southern voters and this marked a major turning point for Jonathan, who would ordinarily expect that as a southerner, he would be the preferred candidate in the region. ‘Sai Buhari’ (only Buhari) that was only restricted to the north alone suddenly became the catchphrase in the mouths of both young and old down south. Even when questions were raised over his academic certificate and health, his followers, especially those who are very active in the social media, insisted they would vote for him nonetheless. Jonathan’s exit was inevitable.

TINUBU: THE UNDYING POLITICAL CRAFT MASTER

Hate him or love him, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is one politician you ignore and you later bite your fingers. Simple as that. Since he survived the PDP tsunami of 2003 when he returned as governor of Lagos State in an election that saw five of his former colleagues in the then AD sent packing, he has gone about the business of checkmating the ruling PDP with so much passion and determination. Blessed with an uncanny ability to identify political as well as electoral assets, Tinubu was said to have said immediately after the 2011 elections reasoned that if Buhari could poll 12 million votes without much resources and national appeal, then he was the man to be pushed forward for 2015. But before then, there was the need to build a strong, broad based political party that would be strong enough to serve as counterfoil to the PDP juggernaut. He and Buhari started consultations. The product was the All Progressives Congress (APC). He got disgruntled elements within the PDP to jump ship and for the first time since 1999, the opposition was able to speak with one voice. 

AMAECHI: THE BULL IN CHINA SHOP

When Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers state, wanted to return as the chairman of the very powerful Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in 2013, his party, the PDP, did not want him because by that time, he had become a thorn in the flesh of President Jonathan. Amaechi and the president’s wife had fallen out over the demolition of waterfront houses under an urban renewal programme. It became a media war. The war shifted to the NGF. But Amaechi, backed by governors from opposition party and PDP rebel governors, would have none of that. Even when the governors had two parallel elections, public sentiment was on the side of the Amaechi faction. And he went about the business of Jonathan’s political demolition with alacrity. He used the NGF to fight the president and formed an alliance with opposition governors to make life miserable for Jonathan. It was a terrible embarrassment for the president, coming from a fellow Niger Deltan, and Amaechi’s persistence did more political damage obviously more than what the president budgeted for.

SARAKI: THE NEMESIS OF PDP

One of the most underrated politicians in Nigeria must be Bukola Saraki, former governor of Kwara state. As chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum between 2007 and 2011, his influence among his powerful colleagues ballooned, and he eventually nominated Amaechi to be his successor. That gave him considerable influence on NGF even after his tenure as governor. Then, his loyalist, Kawu Baraje, became the acting national chairman of the PDP, further giving him a strong hold on the party structure. However, Jonathan, probably eyeing the 2015 elections, dislodged Baraje from the PDP secretariat. That was the final push for Bukola who promptly engineered the breakup of the ruling party in conjunction with other anti-Jonathan forces within and without. On August 31, 2013, the PDP had its convention in Abuja with the sole aim of electing a new chairman. However, rather than that making the headlines, the biggest news of the day was the staging of a walk-out by section of the party led by Bukola Saraki, former governor of Kwara state, and seven governors from the party. They were later to be known as the new PDP and they became unofficial opposition party to the PDP. When they eventually merged with the newly formed APC, they left the PDP bleeding as a spate of defections followed.

OBASANJO: THE TIRELESS RABBLE-ROUSER

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo went about the demolition of the Goodluck Jonathan political brand with such determination that left many analysts wondering if there was nothing more to it than a statesman and his desire for good governance. But Obasanjo had an axe to grind with Jonathan. Having helped the latter to Aso Rock in 2011, he discovered, to his dismay, that Jonathan was keeping him at an arm’s length and that Tony Anenih, Obasanjo’s friend-turned-foe, had become the most powerful elder in the PDP. Bone by bone, Obasanjo began to take Jonathan to pieces. He would later ask most of his loyalists in the south-west, such as Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Isiaka Adeleke and Segun Oni, to join forces with the APC while he became a ‘political consultant’ to the party. On the international level, Obasanjo used his influence to get Nigeria’s allies such as the US and the UK to downgrade Jonathan and promote the candidature of Buhari. Obasanjo’s frequent public criticism of Jonathan often resonated with the views of many Nigerians. Jonathan did not need a political enemy like Obasanjo, and he had his hands full till the last minute.

[THE CABLE]

 

(PHOTOS)#NigeriaDecides: Buhari receives Certificate of Return from INEC – Quotes from his historical speech.

President-elect Muhammadu Buhari received INEC certificate of return. In a speech that will go down in history, a speech that has set the template for his administration, extended his hands of fellowship to out going President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

In a poignant move, President-elect Muhammadu Buhari remembered Nigerians that died during the election period. He asked for a moment of silence to remember the death.

He thanked the President Obama and other world leaders,

He gave clues on his where his immediate focus would centre on – Insurgency by Boko Haram and Corruption.

He was Presidential, He spoke like a President who knows where he is going, where he intends to drive the vessel of Nigeria told and what he intends to accomplish.

As expected, the expectations of Nigerians are incredibly high. He appealed for cooperation and patience. President-elect Buhari reassured Nigerians they can have a good night sleep in the realisation that their backs are covered – literally.

The punch was inspirational. The international community would receive it with delight.

it indicates a move that Nigeria would soon be ridden of a few negative tags that it has come to be identified.

Nigeria, will never be the same again.

A new dawn is here for Nigeria and Africa.

Below are some of the tweets that captured his speech.

“This is not the first time that you have cast your vote for us. This is not the first time that it has been counted. This is the first time it has been allowed to count”

 

 

1.There shall no more be a ruling party; All Progressive Congress(APC), will now be your governing party.

2. You are all my people; I will treat you all as mine. I will work for those who voted for me, voted against me and those who didn’t vote at all.

3. President Jonathan has nothing to fear of me; we might not agree on the same methodology of governance… he is a great Nigerian leader, who made it possible for democracy to thrive.I will extend my hands of fellowship to Jonathan and his team.

4. Our long night is over and a new dawn has come…democracy & rule of law will be put in place.

5. Let us put the recent past behind us and forget our old battles.

6. Along the way there will be success and setbacks; mistakes will be made but we will not take you for granted.

7. You Shall be able to go to bed knowing you are safe…insurgents would soon know the strength of the collective will of Nigerians

Vanguard

Watch out for the video and speech in full.

VIDEO/FULL TEXT: General Muhammadu Buhari’s Acceptance Speech.

Your Excellency, the Vice President elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, your Excellency, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, the Director General of APC Presidential Campaign, 2015, your Excellency, the former Governor of Edo State and National Chairman of our great party, your Excellency the Governor Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, your Excellency, the former Governor of Imo State, Dr Ogbonaya Onu, Your Excellency, the former Governor of Ekiti State, Engineer Oni, your Excellency the former Governor of Kwara, Bokola Saraki, your Excellency, the Speaker of the House of Representative, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, Please, let me stand on existing protocol.

At exactly 5:15 yesterday (Tuesday) evening, President Jonathan called to congratulate me on my victory.

For this, I want all Nigerians to join me in congratulating and appreciating Mr President for his statesmanship.

President Jonathan was a worthy opponent. I extend my hand of fellowship to him.

I look forward to meeting him soon, as we plan the transition from one administration to another.

He will receive nothing but cooperation and understanding from me, who led this nation to democracy.

You stood in line patiently for hours; in the rain, in the sun and then in the dark to cast your votes. Even when the vote was extended to Sunday in some places, you still performed your civic duties. You did so peacefully.

You voted with your heart. Your vote affirms that you believe Nigeria’s future can be better than what it is today.

You voted for change and now change has come.

INEC has released the official result of the Presidential Election. INEC has declared that I gained the most votes with the required spread and won this election.

In a more profound way, it is you, Nigerians that have won.

The people have shown their love for our nation and their believe in democracy.

The declaration of INEC accurately reflects the will of the people.

While there might have been some logistical obstacles and irregularities associated with the exercise, the result shall stand as what the people want. 

I thank all Nigerians who have made this day possible, our country has now joined the community of nations that have used the ballot box to physically change an incumbent president in a free and fair election

To me, this is indeed historic. 

Most people will welcome the result because it is the one they voted for. Others will literarily be disappointed. I ask that we all be circumspect, respectful and peaceful in these times. This was a hard-fought contest. Emotions were high. We must not allow them to get the better of us.

This is not the time for confrontation. This is a moment that we must begin to heal the wounds and work toward a better future.

We do this first by extending a hand of friendship and conciliation across the political divide. We hope and pray our friends in other parties reciprocate.

I thank all the members of the All Progressives Congress, the APC, for their commitment and their hard work through the formation of the party, the campaigns and the presidential elections.

Let me equally express my appreciation to the media, civil society and security agencies for their selfless service. The international press and our friends abroad deserve a fair commendation for their support throughout the process.

We promise a robust and dynamic engagement with your countries in matters of mutual interest.

In the interim, I call on all Nigerians to be law abiding and peaceful.

The eyes of the world were focused on us to see if we can vote in a peaceful way and carry out elections in an orderly manner.

We have proven to the world that we are a people who have embraced democracy and a people who seek a government by, for and for the people.

We have put one party state behind us. We have voted for a government that will serve and govern, but will never rule over you.

CHANGE has come and a new day and a new Nigeria is upon us.

The victory is yours and the glory is that of our nation, NIGERIA.

I will make a more formal address to the nation, later in the afternoon after I receive the certificate of return from the INEC.

May God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigeria’s President Elect

Muhammadu Buhari

[CHANNELSTV]

#NigeriaDecides: COMPLETE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS BREAKDOWN BY STATES.

Click for full spreadsheet

IT’S OFFICIAL – MUHAMMADU BUHARI DECLARED PRESIDENT-ELECT OF NIGERIA…

Supporters of Muhammadu Buhari celebrated as the results came in

Former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari has become the first opposition candidate to win a presidential election in Nigeria.

Incumbent Goodluck Jonathan telephoned Gen Buhari, 72, on Tuesday night to congratulate him and concede defeat.

Unofficial voting tallies put Gen Buhari more than two million votes ahead of his rival.

Observers have generally praised the election, though there have been allegations of fraud.

“I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word,” Mr Jonathan said in a statement.

He said he had conveyed his “best wishes” to Mr Buhari, and urged “those who may feel aggrieved to follow due process… in seeking redress”. 

A spokesman for Gen Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) party praised Mr Jonathan, saying: “He will remain a hero for this move. The tension will go down dramatically.”

Gen Buhari’s supporters took to the streets in APC strongholds, including the northern cities of Kano and Kaduna, to sing and dance in celebration.

Goodluck Jonathan (left) and Muhammadu Buhari agreed last week to respect the outcome of the polls

Gen Buhari’s victory is a hugely significant moment in Nigeria’s turbulent history. Never before has a sitting president been defeated in an election. 

Since independence from Britain in 1960, there have been numerous coups and most elections have been rigged. Of course in a close election there will be many voters who are not pleased with this outcome but the whole process is a sign that democracy is deepening in Nigeria.

The poll has once again brought to the surface dangerous religious and regional differences and there is still a threat of violence. 

The man who has been voted out, Goodluck Jonathan, has played a huge part today in trying to prevent that. He made the phone call when there would no doubt have been some in his camp who would have preferred to dig their heels in. 

 

The APC issued a statement after the result was announced, calling for “calm, sober celebrations” and warning supporters not to attack opponents.

“He or she is not with me, whoever does that,” the new president said.

The former military ruler managed to win more than 25% of votes in 24 states, meaning he avoided the possibility of a run-off with Mr Jonathan.

He dominated the country’s north-western states, which have suffered most from attacks by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

In Borno state, one of the worst-affected by Islamist violence, Gen Buhari won 94% of the vote.

It is the fourth time that Gen Buhari, 72, has sought the presidency.

He ruled Nigeria from January 1984 until August 1985, taking charge after a military coup in December 1983.

Mr Jonathan had led Nigeria since 2010, initially as acting leader before winning elections in 2011.

Nigeria has suffered from several attacks by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has killed thousands of people in its drive to establish an Islamic state.

Many voters have said that they believe Gen Buhari is better positioned to defeat Boko Haram.

The verdict on Mr Buhari’s 20 months as military ruler is mixed.

The European Union’s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, congratulated Gen Buhari on his victory, saying she “looked forward to working with” him.

Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s new leader

Muhammadu Buhari in focus:

• Aged 72
• Muslim from northern Nigeria
• Elected president in 28 March poll
• Military ruler of Nigeria from 1984 to 1985
• Deposed in a coup
• Poor human rights record
• Seen as incorruptible
• Disciplinarian – civil servants late for work had to do frog jumps
• Survived an apparent Boko Haram assassination attempt

 

[BBC]

INSPIRATIONAL: “I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word. We should be celebrating rather than mourning.” – Goodluck Jonathan.

President Goodluck Jonathan has told his supporters and the Peoples Democratic Party to be celebrating rather than mourning because he has kept his word of ensuring a free and fair election.

In a message to the nation conceding defeat, President Jonathan reiterated that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.

The statement reads:

“Fellow Nigerians,

I thank you all for turning out en-masse for the March 28 General Elections.

“I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word. I have also expanded the space for Nigerians to participate in the democratic process. That is one legacy I will like to see endure.

“Although some people have expressed mixed feelings about the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I urge those who may feel aggrieved to follow due process based on our constitution and our electoral laws, in seeking redress.

“As I have always affirmed, nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else.

“I congratulate all Nigerians for successfully going through the process of the March 28th General Elections with the commendable enthusiasm and commitment that was demonstrated nationwide.

“I also commend the Security Services for their role in ensuring that the elections were mostly peaceful and violence-free.

“To my colleagues in the PDP, I thank you for your support.  Today, the PDP should be celebrating rather than mourning.  We have established a legacy of democratic freedom, transparency, economic growth and free and fair elections.

“For the past 16 years, we have steered the country away from ethnic and regional politics. We created a Pan-Nigerian political party and brought home to our people the realities of economic development and social transformation.

“Through patriotism and diligence, we have built the biggest and most patriotic party in Nigerian history. We must stand together as a party and look to the future with renewed optimism.

“I thank all Nigerians once again for the great opportunity I was given to lead this country and assure you that I will continue to do my best at the helm of national affairs until the end of my tenure”.

[VANGUARD]