NewsOnline reports that the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has rejected Saturday’s presidential election results, saying the exercise was the “worst in the history of the country.”
Atiku, who addressed journalists in Abuja Thursday evening, revealed that the outcome of the election, which favoured Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), would be challenged in court.
“I have come to the conclusion that the process of the election was grossly manipulated…it is the worst in the history of our country’s democracy and the results must be challenged in court,” Mr Abubakar declared.
Atiku during the press conference, also called Mr Tinubu a drug baron, saying: “Just as I was about to enter this conference hall, the chairman and I read an Austrian news report that a Nigerian drug baron has emerged the president of Africa’s most-populous country,” he said at the press briefing, which was his first since the exercise.
This online news platform understands that Atiku’s address comes a few hours after Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), also rejected the weekend exercise.
Peter Obi specifically said that the election exercise was “marred with irregularities”, stressing that he won the presidential election and would provide the evidence for Nigerians to see.
“We won the election, and we will prove it to Nigerians,” Mr Obi told reporters during a world press conference held in Abuja.
Meanwhile, NewsOnline had reported earlier that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
This online news platform understands that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu declared Tinubu the winner at exactly 4.10 am today in Abuja. By this declaration, Tinubu would be the 16th leader of Nigeria since independence in 1960.
The former Lagos state governor polled total votes of 8,794,726 to defeat his closest rival and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar who scored 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of Labour party who polled 6,101,533 votes.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso came a distant fourth with total votes of 1,496,687 votes.
Yakubu said the registered voters for the election were 93,469,008, while 25,286,616 voters were accredited.
The INEC Chairman put the total valid votes at 24,025,940, while the total rejected votes were 939,278. He said the total number of votes cast was 24,965,218.
He declared: “I certify that I am the returning officer for the 2023 presidential election held on the 25th of February 2003.
“That Tinubu Bola Ahmed of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and returned elected. The Certificate of Return to the president-elect and Vice president-elect will take place here at 3 pm today.”
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, also subsequently issued Mr Tinubu a “Certificate of Return” the same day.
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