Nigeria’s Buhari Wins Reelection: AFP

After a delayed election, Nigeria reelected Muhammadu Buhari, 76, as president. “The former military ruler was first elected as civilian president of Africa’s most populous nation and leading oil producer in 2015,” reports Agence France-Presse. At that time, he was also the first opposition candidate in Nigeria to defeat an incumbent. “To win the presidency, a candidate needs a majority of votes nationwide and at least 25 percent of support in two-thirds of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.” Nigeria is the seventh most populous nation and ranks 31 in GDP. Turnout was described as low. Buhari won 19 states and Atiku Abubaka won 17. Abubaka has not conceded. Civil society groups monitored the election, and complaints emerged about difficulties delivering election materials, faulty data on voter identities, vote-buying, intimidation, tally discrepancies as well as the decisions to delay the election by a week. Differences over past election outcomes resulted in deadly violence. – YaleGlobal