BUHARI EMERGES WINNER OF HOTLY CONTESTED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

The Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC  has declared General Muhammadu Buhari of opposition All Progressives Congress, (APC) winner of Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election “having satisfied the requirements of the law and scoring the highest numbers of votes”.

Jega who made the declaration at the International Conference Centre,ICC said General Buhari polled  15,424,921 votes  nationwide while  incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Dr Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party , PDP polled 12,853,162.

He made the declaration after collating the results from the 36 states and the Federal Capital terrory.The results from Borno were the last to be collated after which Jega and his men began  the process of determining  whether the tallies met the constitutional requirements .

But even before long  Jega’s declarations, President Jonathan called Buhari to congratulate him on  his victor.Jonathan’s  phone call  was another historic  move which earned him commendations from across the country.

BRIEF PRESS STATEMENT BY GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI,GCFR, PRESIDENT ELECT ON THE PLATFORM OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS, APC. MARCH 31st, 2015

At exactly 5:15pm this 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 engaged in a spirited campaign and 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 understanding, cooperation and respect from me and my team.

The good people of Nigeria, answered the call of history. When the account of this fine moment is written, it will be said that it was the people themselves who led this nation to democracy.

You stood in line patiently for hours in the sun, rain and then in the dark to cast your ballots. Even when the vote was extended to Sunday in some places, you still performed your civic duty. 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 results of the Presidential election. INEC has declared that I gained the most votes with the required spread and thus 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 belief in democracy.

The declaration of INEC accurately reflects the will of the people. Whilethere 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 peacefully 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 naturally be disappointed. I ask that we all be circumspect, respectful and peaceful in these times.

This was a hard- fought contest. Emotions are 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, APC, for their commitment and their hard work through the formation of the party, the campaigns and the Presidential elections. Let me equally extend my appreciation to the MEDIA, Civil Society and the Security agencies for their selfless service.

The International press and our friends abroad deserve special commendation for their support throughout the process. We promise a robust and dynamic engagement with your countries in matters of mutual interest to nations.

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 could vote in a peaceful way and carry out a representative election in an orderly manner. You have proven to the world that we are a people who have embraced democracy and a people who seek a of government by, for and of the people.

We have put one party state behind us. You have voted for a party and president that will serve and govern but never rule over you. Change has come. A new day and a new Nigeria are 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 tomorrow after receiving the certificate of return from INEC.

May God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR,

President Elect,

Federal Republic of Nigeria

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE RESULTS OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2015

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.

I have conveyed my personal best wishes to General Muhammadu Buhari.

May God Almighty continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I thank you all.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR

President,

Federal Republic of Nigeria

March 31, 2015