The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to best Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 6,984,520 votes, and Mr. Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) who garnered 6,101,533.
Tinubu in his acceptance speech after being declared winner said he understood that many Nigerians were “uncertain, angry and hurt”.
He admitted, “Yes, there are divisions amongst us that should not exist. Many people are uncertain, angry and hurt; I reach out to every one of you.
“Let the better aspects of our humanity step forward at this fateful moment. Let us begin to heal and bring calm to our nation.
“We are in this journey together. I will not let you down. There will be no university strike again and your universities shall be autonomous, there shall be student loans. I’ll be your servant, not your leader.”
He also extended a hand of fellowship to the supporters of the other leading presidential candidates.
“Whether you are Batist, Atikulated or Obidient or Kwankwasiyya or any other political affiliation, I thank you for working hard to strengthen the democratic system.
“You voted for a better Nigerian. I thank you for your participation and dedication to our democracy. Renewed hope has dawned and landed on Nigeria. I represent a promise and with your support, I know that promise will be fulfilled.”
Describing the presidential election campaign as ‘competitive and high-spirited’, the president-elect noted, “Political competition must now give way to political conciliation and inclusive governance.
“During the election, you may have been my opponent but you were never my enemy. In my heart, you are my brothers.
“Still, 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.”
He urged his supporters to let peace reign and tensions fade, noting that the “aftermath of our campaign must be benign”, even as he advised aggrieved candidates to challenge the outcome in court “and not in the streets”.