Poll results reflect will of Nigerians, says Buhari

"I shall work with President Elect and his team to ensure an orderly handover of power-- Buhari

The results reveal democracy’s ripening in our country.

Never has the electoral map shifted so drastically in one cycle.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila yesterday congratulated Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for emerging winner of the February 25 presidential election.

Tinunu was also congratulated by former Military President Ibrahim Babangida; Deputy Speaker of the House Ahmed Idris Wase, Deputy Whip of the Senate, Aliyu Abdullahi, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the Senate, the All Progressives Congress(APC), United Kingdom (UK) French President Emmanuel Macron and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

While Buhari said the presidential poll reflected the will of Nigerians, Osinbajo said Tinubu’s victory was a reward for his “consistent fidelity to progressive and welfarist ideals.”

To Lawan, the victory affirmed the trust of Nigerians in the APC and to Gbajabiamila, it was a testament to Tinubu’s years of building bridges across the country.

Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said Tinubu’s victory indicated that he was the choice of Nigerians to take them to the next level
He noted that the electoral process, this time round, was particularly unique because neither Tinubu nor himself won their home states.

The development, according to him, is an indication that Nigeria’s democracy is ripening.

Buhari said: “I congratulate His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory. Elected by the people, he is the best person for the job. I shall now work with him and his team to ensure an orderly handover of power.
The results reveal democracy’s ripening in our country. Never has the electoral map shifted so drastically in one cycle. In the presidential elections, states in all regions across the nation changed colour. Some of you may have noticed my home state among them.
The winning candidate did not carry his own home state either. That happens during a competitive election. Votes and those that cast them cannot be taken for granted. Each must be earned. Competition is good for our democracy. There is no doubt the people’s decision has been rendered in the results we look at today.
That is not to say the exercise was without fault. For instance, there were technical problems with the electronic transmission of the results. Of course, there will be areas that need work to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure. However, none of the issues registered represents a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections

The President, however, called on all candidates who participated in the election process to keep faith with the peace agreement they signed days ahead of the elections and to refrain from any action capable of undermining the democratic process.

“I know some politicians and candidates may not agree with this view. That too is fine. If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence. If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets,” Buhari added
In his congratulatory message, Osinbajo said” “In your (Tinunu) previous years of public service, you have demonstrated a consistent fidelity to progressive and welfarist ideals, and an ability to build bridges across several divides.

These attributes are needed especially at this time, to reach out to disaffected sections of our society and to meet the aspirational expectations of our young people who have shown such a strong desire to impact our democratic process in a positive way.

I trust that they will not allow whatever setbacks they may have experienced to truncate their strong desire to determine the future course of our national journey.

“Through thick and thin, we must all remain focused on the objective of birthing the Nigeria of our dreams.
The Vice-President, who also sent a congratulatory to Vice-President-elect Kashim Shettima, prayed to God to help the newly elected leaders “fulfil the progressive mandate of our Party, as well as your various plans to improve the security, welfare and happiness of all Nigerians.”

Osinbajo had after presiding over the weekly Federal Executive Council(FEC) led ministers to physically congratulate the President-elect, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Shettima.

Later, the Vice President attended the formal presentation of the Certificates of Return to Tinubu and Shettima by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).