Challenger Claims Historic Victory in Nigeria

Muhammadu Buhari defeats incumbent democratically for first time
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 31, 2015 12:48 PM CDT
Challenger Claims Historic Victory in Nigeria
Residents celebrate the anticipated victory of presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna, Nigeria, Tuesday, March 31, 2015.   (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Opposition candidate and onetime military ruler Muhammadu Buhari unceremoniously dumped incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria's presidential elections today by a tally that Reuters puts at 15.4 million to 13.3 million. "This is the first time in Nigeria that a sitting government will be voted out of power using purely democratic means," a rep for Buhari's All Progressives Congress party says. Jonathan has called Buhari to concede, adds Reuters, and the APC rep says that "there had always been this fear that he might not want to concede, but he will remain a hero for this move. The tension will go down dramatically." (More Muhammadu Buhari stories.)

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