#NigeriaDecides2023: Bola Tinubu Rejoices, ‘It’s My Turn Actually’ In Acceptance Speech

Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Tinubu said “It’s my turn actually,” an hour after he was declared as the winner of the February 25th presidential election across the country.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu announced Bola Tinubu as the winner of the poll some minutes past 4 am on Wednesday at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.

“That Tinubu Bola Ahmed of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Professor Yakubu declared in an announcement watched by an eager nation and many across the world.

According to Bola Tinubu, “I am profoundly humbled to serve as the 16th President of our beloved country. This is a shining moment in the life of any man and an affirmation of our democratic existence.”

Tinubu thanked all those who participated in the February 25 election with particular mention of ‘Articulated’, ‘Obidients’, ‘Batified’, and ‘Kwankwasiyya’ supporters.

“I take this opportunity to appeal to my fellow contestants to let us team up together. It is the only nation we have. It is one country and we must build together,” he said.

A former Lagos State Governor, Tinubu, 70, won 12 states out of Nigeria’s 36 States, and secured significant numbers in several other states to claim the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival — former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Abubakar, 76, who has now run for president six times, got 6,984,520 votes, while the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who, in less than a year, galvanised young voters in a manner some have described as unprecedented finished the race with 6,101,533.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, won the polls in 11 states, including the home state of the APC candidate — Lagos. He also came out tops in the nation’s capital Abuja. Abubakar, like Tinubu, was victorious in 12 states.

Former Kano State Governor and candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, finished fourth, claiming victory in his state — Kano. He secured 1,496,687 votes.

In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that former president Goodluck Jonathan, African leaders met with Atiku, Peter Obi, and Musa Kwankwaso.