Presidential Election Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has entered the final stage of the collation and announcement of the results of the presidential election in Nigeria. The election was held across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday, with a total of 18 presidential candidates contesting. However, the election was postponed until Sunday in some polling units in different states due to violence, logistical problems, theft of BVAS, and other issues.

Despite the challenges, the election has been largely concluded across the country, with some states having already finished collating the results at the ward, local government, and state levels. INEC collation officers across the states are expected to present their final tallies at the National Collation Centre in Abuja from 6 p.m. on Sunday, with state collation officers taking turns to present their results.

The INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, who presides over the proceedings at the National Collation Centre, is the Chief Returning Officer of the presidential election. He will make the announcement of the final results and declare the winner of the election after taking the results of the elections from the polling units across the country.

This year’s general election is the seventh since the restoration of democracy in the country, with previous elections held in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019. Described as the most keenly contested poll in Nigeria’s contemporary political history, this year’s ballots had 18 registered parties to be voted for, with four major contenders: Atiku Abubakar of PDP, Bola Tinubu of APC, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of NNPP.

To be declared the winner, a candidate must score the highest number of votes and at least 25% of votes in 25 states (two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states and the federal capital, Abuja). Despite the delays and challenges, many Nigerians are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the election, which will determine the country’s political direction for the next four years.