As counting in the closest-ever election in Nigerian history concludes, incumbent candidate Goodluck Jonathon has conceded defeat.
BREAKING: President Jonathan Congratulates Gen. Buhari In A Phone Call, Addresses The Nation Shortly http://t.co/qHJfMoubrR #Nigeriadecides
— AbangMercy (@AbangMercy) March 31, 2015
The new President of the Federal Republic of #Nigeria is Muhammadu #Buhari! Sabon Najeriya! #SaiBuhari #NigeriaWins pic.twitter.com/7Hzw1XigPE
— Imad Mesdoua (@ImadMesdoua) March 31, 2015
“This is the first time in Nigeria that a sitting government will be voted out of power using purely democratic means,” Lai Mohammed, spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC), told Reuters.
#Buhari claims victory in historic #Nigerian vote http://t.co/4WZEnUgfyD
— The Tomar (@TheTomar) March 31, 2015
If #Buhari holds on, I think he’d be only the 7th challenger to ever unseat an incumbent via election in sub Saharan Africa. #NigeriaDecides — Jeffrey Smith (@Smith_RFKennedy) March 31, 2015
The winning candidate needs at least 25% support in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory if he wants to avoid a run-off. Electoral officials said they would announce official results later on Tuesday evening. Buhari is a former military dictator who ruled Nigeria between 1983 to 1985 after he took control of the country in a coup. His return to government through democratic means has certainly shocked some.
If you’d told me in 1996 that Buhari would one day be democratically elected, I honestly don’t know what I would have said. #NigeraDecides — Laura Seay (@texasinafrica) March 31, 2015