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ARC->Election News
President Olusegun Obasanjo has been elected for a second term, having won the Saturday 19 April presidential elections. His re-election marks the highpoint of a successful and peaceful civilian-to-civilian transition, and puts to rest any doubts about this possibility.
The President polled 24,456,140 or 61.94 percent of the total votes cast. His closest rival, Geneneral Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), received 12,710,002 votes or 32.04 percent of the votes. Taking third place, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu of the All Progressive Grand Alliance Party (APGA) received 1,297,445 votes, which represent 3.30 percent of the votes cast. In all, 39,480,489 votes were cast, out of which 2,538,246 were rejected. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) registered a total of 60,823,022 Nigerian voters.
President Obasanjo’s victory is significant, as he was able to gain ground in areas where he had lost during the 1999 elections. The results indicate a net gain of the required 25 percent votes in six States where he could not garner enough support in 1999, namely Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Lagos. He however lost two states, Kano and Kaduna, where he was unable to realise the required 25 percent.
Though some political parties have rejected the results, alleging irregularities in its conduct and calculation of results, President Obasanjo has formally accepted victory. In a broadcast to the nation after the Electoral Commission announced the results, he commended the orderliness of the election, which, he pointed out, was an indication that democracy was coming of age in Nigeria. The President also urged those who objected to his electoral victory to seek redress through set legal procedures.
© Copyright 2005 nigeriafirst.org
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