ABUJA, Feb 28 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s electoral commission on Wednesday declared ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu as president after a disputed weekend election that was boycotted by the two main opposition parties.
Tinubu’s victory widens the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party’s grip on power in Africa’s leading oil producer and most populous nation, although he has received many challenges from President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.
The former governor of commercial hub Lagos polled 8.79 million votes, ahead of main opposition rival Atiku Abubakar’s 6.98 million votes. Peter Opie, a popular foreigner among young voters, won 6.1 million votes.
Nigerian electoral law states that a candidate can win by getting more votes than his rivals, with at least two-thirds of 25% of the 36 states and the federal capital, Abuja, and Tinubu was able to do the same.
Additional reporting by Hamza Ibrahim in Kano, Felix Onua and Camillus Ebo in Abuja; Anamesere Igboeroteonwu in Onitsha and MacDonald Dzirutwe and James Oatway in Lagos; Written by Tim Cox Editing by Emilia Sithole-Madaris and Deepa Babington
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