2015 Presidential Elections - How the Battle Was Lost and Won

Eddy Odivwri in Lagos and Chuks Okocha in Abuja 

It was a duel. A historic political battle that featured two
combatants with almost even strengths. Never before in
Nigeria’s political history had an election generated a
similar amount of interest and tension. Not even the famous
June 12 1993 election. The 2015 presidential election was
indeed like none other. It tore down the country along our
historical fault lines of region and religion.
Prefixed with accusations and counter-accusations,
scandals, odious narratives and acrimonious campaigns
that dwelt more in inanities, the fear that the elections, if
they ever held, would produce outcomes that could shatter
the frail unity of the country, was strong.
Indeed, many had fled to their home states, far from where
they had always lived and done businesses for fear of post-
election consequences.
But all the fears were allayed yesterday when President
Goodluck Jonathan, in a rare show of democratic
statesmanship, congratulated his closest opponent in the
March 28 polls, Maj-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) who
was declared the winner of the election last night, by the
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega.
It was Buhari’s fourth attempt at the presidency having
contested the presidential election in 2003, 2007, 2011 and
now 2015. He lost the polls in the first three attempts. But
yesterday, he made a historic statement by being the first to
defeat an incumbent president in Nigeria.
After three days of collation of results, the INEC chairman
declared Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the
winner having polled a total of 15,424,921 votes with the
requisite spread of the constitutionally-stipulated 25 per
cent votes in 26 states plus the FCT.
His closest rival being the sitting president of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) polled a total of 12,853,162 votes,
also with the requisite spread of 25 per cent of votes in 26
states plus the FCT.
Twelve other political parties participated in the historic
election. But the contest was more or less a two-horse race
between Jonathan and the Buhari.
The results (as shown in the table) indicate that while
Jonathan won his traditional strongholds in the South-
south and South-east geo-political regions, it also won the
mandatory 25 per cent in all six Southwestern states.
Jonathan, however, maintained a poor grip in most of the
northern states where he managed to garner 25 per cent of
the votes in only seven out of the 19 states in northern
Nigeria.
On the other hand, Buhari, in addition to securing 25 per
cent in all 19 northern states including the FCT, made
inroads in the South-west, where he won all but one state
in the zone. It is the first time Buhari will be winning any
state in the south. This was attributable to the merger of
Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) with the
defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with a strong
base in the South-west.
Final results from INEC showed that the PDP won Abia
State with 368,303 (96.50%), APC polled 13,394 (3.50%).
Also, Adamawa had PDP polling 251,644 (40.2%), APC -
374,701 (59.8%); in Akwa Ibom, PDP polled 953,304 (94%)
in contrast to APC which polled 58,411(6 %); while
Anambra was won by PDP with 660,762 (97%) votes,
relative to APC’s 17,926 (3%) votes.
Other results were as follows: Bauchi – PDP, 86,085
(8.5%), APC, 931,598(91.5%); Bayelsa—PDP
369,209(98.6%), APC 5,194 (1.4%); Benue—PDP303,737
(44.8%), APC 373,961 (55.2%); Borno –– PDP 25,640
(5.1%), APC ––473,543 (94.9); Cross River—414,863
(93.6%), APC 28,368 (6.4%); Delta—PDP 1,211,405 (96.1%)
APC 48,910 (3.9%); while in Ebonyi State PDP polled
323,653 (94.3%) and APC got 19,518 (5.7%).
Others include: Edo—PDP 286,869 (58%), APC
208,469(42%); Ekiti—PDP 172,466 (58,90%), APC, 120,331
(41.10%); Enugu—PDP 553,003 (97.50%), APC 14,157
(2.50%); Gombe—PDP 96,873 (21.4%), APC 361,245
(78.9%); Imo—PDP 559,185 (81%), APC 133,253 (19%); and
Jigawa—PDP 142,904 (13.90%), APC 885,988 (86.10%).
Other state results are: Kaduna—PDP 484,085 (30%), APC
1,127,760 (70%); Kano—PDP 215,779 (10.2%), APC
1,903,999 (89,80%), Katsina—PDP 98,937 (7%), APC
1,345,441 (93%); Kebbi—PDP 100,972 (15.1%), APC
567,883 (84.9%); Kogi—PDP 149,987 (36.20%), APC
264,851(63.80%); Kwara—PDP132,602 (30%), APC 302,146
(70%); Lagos—PDP 632,327 (44.4%), APC792,460 (55.6%);
Nasarawa—PDP 273,460 (53.6%), APC 236,838 (46.40%);
Niger—PDP 149,222 (18.5%), APC657,678 (81.5%); and
Ogun—PDP 207,950 (40.3%), APC 308,290 (59.70%).
Others are Ondo –PDP251,368 (45.60%), APC 299,899
(54.40%); Osun—PDP 249,929 (39.50%), APC 383,603
(60,50%); Oyo—PDP 303,376 (36.50%), APC 528,620
(63.5%) Plateau –PDP 549,615 (56%), APC 429,140 (44%);
Rivers—PDP 1,487,075 (95.6%), APC 69,238 (4.4%); Sokoto
—PDP 152,199 (18.5%), APC 671,926 (81.5%); Taraba—
PDP 310,800 (54.3%), APC 261,326 (45.7%); Yobe—PDP
25,526 (5.4%), APC 446,265 (94.6%); Zamfara—PDP
144,833 (19.1%), APC 612,202 (80.9%); and FCT—PDP
157,195 (51.80%), APC 146,399 (48.20%).
OFFICIAL RESULTS FOR PRESIDENTIAL POLL