President Goodluck Jonathan has won Nigeria’s presidential election, taking 57 per cent of the vote, according to BBC online Monday.
Figures provided by regional officials showed he had reached a crucial benchmark of votes across the country. Tens of millions of votes were cast in Saturday’s poll using 120.000 polling stations.
Mr Jonathan has staked his reputation on the election, repeatedly promising it would be free and fair. The results mean President Jonathan – a Christian from the oil-producing Niger Delta – will avoid the need for an election run-off.
International monitors said Saturday’s election could be Nigeria’s first credible vote for decades. Previous polls were marred by widespread violence and vote-fixing.
To win at the first round, a candidate needs at least 25 per cent of the vote in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states.
According to regional results, Mr Jonathan has passed that threshold in at least 24 states.
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released final results on Monday, saying Mr Jonathan had won 22,5 million votes to General Buhari’s 12,2 million votes. The former military leader was Jonathans strongest rival.
He is a muslim, and riots broke out in many towns in Nigerias northern part, as news of Jonathans victory gained ground.
