BREAKING: INEC declares Buhari winner of 2019 presidential election

Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and incumbent president, has been declared winner of the 2019 presidential election held on Saturday across the country.

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu who doubles as the Returning Officer for the presidential polls, declared Mr Buhari winner in the early hours of Wednesday after the state by state collation process at the INEC National Collation Centre Abuja.

“I, Professor Mahmood Yakubu hereby certify that I was the returning officer for the election held on the 23rd of February, 2019.

“That Muhammadu Buhari having satisfied the requirements of the law, having scored the highest number of votes is hereby returned elected.”

According to the chairman, Mr Buhari  polled a total of 15,191,847 votes to emerge winner of the election.

Buhari’s closest rival, former vice president Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) however polled a total of  11,262,978 votes. 

Yakubu said the total number of registered voters (as collated) are 82, 344, 107, while the total number of accredited voters are 29, 364, 209.

Moreso, the total number of valid votes is 27, 324, 583, the total number of rejected votes is 1, 289, 607; while the total number of votes cast is 28, 614, 190.