People celebrate after results of the gubernatorial and parliamentarian elections in Lagos, on April 11, 2015. Nigeria began counting votes from state governor and local assembly elections on April 11, with the main opposition party tipped to build on its historic victory in the presidential race. AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI (Photo credit should read PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images)The presidential election in Nigeria in 2015 was unprecedented, with tension everywhere.
Although there were many candidates, it seemed as though it was a straight contest between President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, the PDP, and the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress, the APC, Retired Major-General Muhammadu Buhari.
Days to the election, it appeared as though President Jonathan was losing public opinion, and the election scheduled to hold on 14 February was postponed at the last minute officially to help the army fight Boko Haram.
The former National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mr. Sambo Dasuki, argued that the army that had failed to defeat Boko Haram since 2009 was on the brink of defeating it days to the presidential election his boss appeared to be losing.
He secured the backing of generals and asked for six more weeks. The election finally held on 28 March. In the end, Mr. Buhari defeated Mr. Jonathan with about 2.6 million votes.
It was the first time in Nigeria that a President had been defeated at the ballots by an opposition leader.
ABUJA, NIGERIA – MAY 29: Nigeria’s new President Muhammadu Buhari (C) is sworn in as outgoing president Goodluck Jonathan (L) looks on May 29, 2015 in Abuja, Nigeria. Buhari, a former general in the Nigerian army, had previously lead the nation for two years after a military coup in 1983. He replaces Jonathan, who had been president since 2010. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images)
Mr. Buhari Polled 15,416,221 votes (About 15.4 million votes) while Mr. Jonathan received 12,853,162 votes (About 13 million votes). The difference between them was 2,563,059 votes (About 2.6 million votes)
Mr. Buhari won 21 states while Mr. Jonathan won 15 States and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Mr. Buhari also got more than one quarter of the votes in 27 states, a constitutional requirement to be declared President elect.
It was a great victory for Mr. Buhari who had contested all three elections since 2003 and lost. (2003, 2007, and 2015).
He was a fourth time lucky.