The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been declared president-elect.

Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced Tinubu as winner of the presidential elections around 4a.m on Wednesday at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.

“That Tinubu Bola Ahmed of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Professor Yakubu declared in an announcement watched by an eager nation and many across the world.

Tinubu clinched victory with wins in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states, and secured significant numbers in several other states to claim the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival — former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar, who has now run for president six times, got 6,984,520 votes, while the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who, in less than a year, galvanised young voters in a manner some have described as unprecedented finished the race with 6,101,533.

The Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi won the polls in 11 states, including the home state of the APC candidate — Lagos. He also came out tops in the nation’s capital Abuja. Abubakar, like Tinubu, was victorious in 12 states.

Former Kano State Governor and candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, finished fourth, claiming victory in his state — Kano. He secured 1,496,687 votes.

Professor Yakubu’s announcement comes four days after the controversial presidential election marred by, violence, intimidation, and ballot box snatching in some states of the country.