“Nigeria has now joined the community of
nations that have used the ballot box to peacefully change an incumbent
president in a free and fair election”. Nigeria’s President-elect and candidate
of the All Progressive Congress (APC) party said after the Independent National
Elections Commission (INEC) declared him winner of the March 28th presidential
elections. Expressing joy, he said, “We have proven to the world that we are
people who have embraced democracy. We have put the one party state behind us” “You
voted for change and now change has come”.
Buhari won with 15.4 million
votes against 12.9 million votes for his rival, incumbent President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Since the return to civilian rule
in 1999, Buhari has stood as presidential candidate in all the elections and in
the three previous ones; he was successively beaten by the candidates of the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The March 28, 2015 presidential election was
his 4th attempt and he was finally crowned with victory.
Muhammadu Buhari, a muslim aged
72 years was born on December 17, 1942 in Katsina State in Northern Nigeria. IN
1983, Major General Buhari and Major General Tunde Idiagbon were selected to
lead the country by middle and high ranking military officers after a
successful military cop d’état that over throw civilian President Shehu
Shagari. Buhari was then Nigeria’s military ruler from 1984 to 1985 and was
deposed in a coup d’état by General Ibrahim Babangida. During his one year rule,
Buhari was said to be incorruptible and a disciplinarian. He is said to have
survived an apparent Boko Haram assassination attempt.
Vice President Osinbajo
Buhari chose as running mate in
the March 28, 205 presidential election, Professor Pastor Yemi Osinbajo,
resident Pastor at a Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Olive
Tree House of Prayer for All Nations, in Banana Island, Lagos. As Vice
Presidential Candidate to Buhari, the 55–year–old Professor Pastor Yemi Osingajo
becomes the Vice President-elect of Nigeria. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria
and Senior Partner in the Law firm of Simmons Cooper Partners.
Professor Osinbajo was appointed
the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in 1999 and
reappointed for a second term in 2003. Between 1988 and 1992, he was the
Special Adviser to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. He also served as a staff member of the United Nations and
Member of the United Nation’s Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on
Conduct and Discipline of UN Peace Keeping personnel around the world.
Professor Pastor Osinbajo is
currently an Ethics Advisor to the Ethics Committee of the African Development
Bank.
