Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has thanked Nigerians for re-electing him into office for another four years.
This comes as he appealed to his supporters not to gloat or humiliate the opposition, saying “Victory is enough reward for your efforts.”
The President, who was at the All Progressives Congress (APC), presidential campaign office to read his acceptance speech in the early hours of Wednesday immediately after the announcement, also thanked God for sparring his life and that of Nigerians to witness “another victory for Nigerian democracy and victory for our party APC.”
The Independent Electoral Comnission (INEC) chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who is the chief collation officer for the poll, said President Buhari, polled a total of 15,191,847 to defeat candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku and 71 others. According to him, Atiku garnered 11,262,978 to place second in the poll.
The President noted that although Saturday’s elections were relatively peaceful, “troublemakers in a handful of states attempted to disrupt an otherwise orderly process. Security agencies will bring to justice all those arrested in the process.”
Buhari said he was sad at the grievous loss of lives during these elections, declaring, “Security agencies will step up their efforts to protect voters in the forthcoming State elections.”
The President who also thanked domestic and International observers as well as volunteers for contributing to the success of elections and for their interest in the country and her developing democracy, assured that “the new administration will intensify its efforts in Security, Restructuring the Economy and Fighting Corruption. We have laid down the foundation and we are committed to seeing matters to the end. We will strive to strengthen our unity and inclusiveness so that no section or group will feel left behind or left out.”
