Electoral body declares Buhari winner of Nigerian election

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has won a second term, the country’s electoral body announced on Wednesday.

Buhari, 76, representing the ruling All Progressives Congress party, won 55 percent of the vote to defeat his main competitor, Atiku Abubakar, who received 41 percent, the Independent National Electoral Commission said.

Buhari, 76, garnered about 15.2 million votes. National voter turnout was about 35.6 percent.

Speaking shortly after the announcement of the official results, as many Nigerians awakened to the morning prayer, Buhari said he was “deeply humbled” by the win.

He also said he regretted the loss of dozens of lives in election-related violence. As many as 39 people were killed in election-related violence, according to Reuters.

“I will like to make a special appeal to my supporters not to gloat or humiliate the opposition. Victory is enough reward for your efforts,” he said.

Buhari is revered by many Nigerians, especially by northerners, who call him “Mai Gaskiya” (a Hausa expression which means “one who always speaks the truth”). Others call him a “Mr Integrity” who has zero tolerance for corruption.

However, in a statement, Abubakar rejected the results, saying there were manifest and premeditated abuses in many states that should negate the announced results.

Buhari said the new government will intensify its efforts in security, restructuring the economy, and fighting corruption in the most populous country in Africa and the continent’s largest economy, with a GDP of $1.12 trillion.

Supporters were dancing in the streets of the capital, Abuja, on Tuesday night, as the vote counting stretched Buhari’s lead from the weekend election by nearly 4 million votes over challenger Abubakar, a billionaire and a former vicepresident, AP reported.

Kabiru Mijinyawa, the speaker of Adamawa House of Assembly, described the re-election of Buhari as a sign of significant development in Nigeria’s democracy.

Adhere Cavince, a political analyst in Nairobi, Kenya, said Nigeria has the highest rate of extreme poverty in the world, affecting more than 90 million people, despite the country being the largest oil producer in Africa.

“Buhari has the onerous task to re-imagining governance in Nigeria. Fixing the economy to cater for the needs of the increasingly youthful yet jobless population is an important undertaking the president should prioritize,” he said.

While the military under Buhari’s first term rule managed to push the Boko Haram militants from several northeastern communities, the militant group resurged and continues to threaten security in the country.