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| In Nigeria’s Election, Muhammadu Buhari Defeats Goodluck Jonathan | In Nigeria’s Election, Muhammadu Buhari Defeats Goodluck Jonathan |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| KANO, Nigeria — With anger swelling over corruption, inequality and a devastating Islamist insurgency in the nation’s north, Nigerians by a wide margin chose an austere former general who once ruled with an iron hand to be their next president, according to election results on Tuesday. | KANO, Nigeria — With anger swelling over corruption, inequality and a devastating Islamist insurgency in the nation’s north, Nigerians by a wide margin chose an austere former general who once ruled with an iron hand to be their next president, according to election results on Tuesday. |
| The election was the most competitive presidential race ever in Nigeria, one of the largest democracies in the world. Now, if power is handed over peacefully, it will be a major shift for the nation — the first transfer between civilians of different parties in a country that has spent much of its post-colonial history shaken by military coups. | The election was the most competitive presidential race ever in Nigeria, one of the largest democracies in the world. Now, if power is handed over peacefully, it will be a major shift for the nation — the first transfer between civilians of different parties in a country that has spent much of its post-colonial history shaken by military coups. |
| With results from all of Nigeria’s 36 states counted, the former military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, delivered a crushing defeat to President Goodluck Jonathan, getting nearly 55 percent of the vote to Mr. Jonathan’s 45 percent. | With results from all of Nigeria’s 36 states counted, the former military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, delivered a crushing defeat to President Goodluck Jonathan, getting nearly 55 percent of the vote to Mr. Jonathan’s 45 percent. |
| Since the end of military rule in 1999, Nigeria has been governed by a single, dominant party — Mr. Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party. | Since the end of military rule in 1999, Nigeria has been governed by a single, dominant party — Mr. Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party. |
| But on Tuesday, Mr. Buhari’s campaign said that the president had called the challenger at 5:15 p.m. to acknowledge defeat — an act many Nigerians considered a big step forward after previous elections marred by fraud and incumbents clinging to office. | But on Tuesday, Mr. Buhari’s campaign said that the president had called the challenger at 5:15 p.m. to acknowledge defeat — an act many Nigerians considered a big step forward after previous elections marred by fraud and incumbents clinging to office. |
| “We knew that we had the numbers last night, but dealing with the type of government we have, we have never really felt we are out of the woods,” said Garba Shehu, a spokesman for Mr. Buhari’s party, the All Progressives Congress. “Clearly we have won it.” | “We knew that we had the numbers last night, but dealing with the type of government we have, we have never really felt we are out of the woods,” said Garba Shehu, a spokesman for Mr. Buhari’s party, the All Progressives Congress. “Clearly we have won it.” |
| Later on Tuesday, Mr. Jonathan publicly thanked Nigerians for “the great opportunity I was given to lead this country,” congratulated Mr. Buhari and said he had kept his word to deliver “free and fair elections.” | Later on Tuesday, Mr. Jonathan publicly thanked Nigerians for “the great opportunity I was given to lead this country,” congratulated Mr. Buhari and said he had kept his word to deliver “free and fair elections.” |
| “Nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian,” Mr. Jonathan said. “The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else.” | “Nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian,” Mr. Jonathan said. “The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else.” |
| Analysts said that the election could mean the beginning of a competitive two-party system in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and most populous nation with about 180 million people. | Analysts said that the election could mean the beginning of a competitive two-party system in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and most populous nation with about 180 million people. |
| “It is very significant in our democratic growth, in grounding democracy and consolidating it,” said Ebere Onwudiwe, a political scientist with the Ken Nnamani Center for Leadership and Development. “We can’t have a one-party democracy. We’re setting a very great example for the rest of the smaller states in Africa.” | “It is very significant in our democratic growth, in grounding democracy and consolidating it,” said Ebere Onwudiwe, a political scientist with the Ken Nnamani Center for Leadership and Development. “We can’t have a one-party democracy. We’re setting a very great example for the rest of the smaller states in Africa.” |
| Others noted that the peaceful handover of power from one party to another was a relative rarity on a continent where strongmen or dominant parties rule in many countries. | Others noted that the peaceful handover of power from one party to another was a relative rarity on a continent where strongmen or dominant parties rule in many countries. |
| It is “a giant leap for democracy in Nigeria and Africa, particularly at a time when many incumbents are trying to change their constitution to extend their legal term in office,” said Pierre Englebert, an African politics specialist at Pomona College. | It is “a giant leap for democracy in Nigeria and Africa, particularly at a time when many incumbents are trying to change their constitution to extend their legal term in office,” said Pierre Englebert, an African politics specialist at Pomona College. |
| On Tuesday night, jubilant crowds lined overpasses, bridges and streets here, the major city in Mr. Buhari’s stronghold in the north. The mood was celebratory as motorists honked their horns; the former general has been very popular here for years. | |
| There have been frequent attacks in Kano by the Boko Haram militant group, which has killed thousands of civilians in this country, and people spoke of a yearning for them to end. | There have been frequent attacks in Kano by the Boko Haram militant group, which has killed thousands of civilians in this country, and people spoke of a yearning for them to end. |
| “I am very, very happy,” said Salu Saleh Mohammed, 19, a student. “I love Buhari. He is good government and national security. He will draw Nigeria from bad government to government.” | “I am very, very happy,” said Salu Saleh Mohammed, 19, a student. “I love Buhari. He is good government and national security. He will draw Nigeria from bad government to government.” |
| On Mr. Jonathan’s watch, Nigeria has been pummeled by Boko Haram, its economic fortunes have plunged with falling oil prices, inequality is rampant, and corruption scandals have tarnished the president’s image. | |
| Mr. Buhari, while short on specifics for fixing a budget hemorrhaging revenue because of the fall in oil prices, has promised to tackle corruption vigorously, as he did when he was the country’s authoritarian military ruler two decades ago. | Mr. Buhari, while short on specifics for fixing a budget hemorrhaging revenue because of the fall in oil prices, has promised to tackle corruption vigorously, as he did when he was the country’s authoritarian military ruler two decades ago. |
| That in itself would help an economy that, by one estimate, has lost some $400 billion because of corruption since independence. | That in itself would help an economy that, by one estimate, has lost some $400 billion because of corruption since independence. |
| Voters here spoke frequently of corruption when explaining why they cast their ballots for Mr. Buhari. But he also swept competitive states in the country’s southwest. He took swing states in the center, and he crushed the incumbent in his northern strongholds, particularly in this ancient Muslim metropolis, Nigeria’s second-largest city. | Voters here spoke frequently of corruption when explaining why they cast their ballots for Mr. Buhari. But he also swept competitive states in the country’s southwest. He took swing states in the center, and he crushed the incumbent in his northern strongholds, particularly in this ancient Muslim metropolis, Nigeria’s second-largest city. |
| As the results were being counted, there were fears — voiced notably on Monday by top British and American diplomats — that the government would interfere to block Mr. Buhari’s victory. The military had already intervened at least once in the election, when the country’s top security officers forced the electoral commission to delay the vote for six weeks. | As the results were being counted, there were fears — voiced notably on Monday by top British and American diplomats — that the government would interfere to block Mr. Buhari’s victory. The military had already intervened at least once in the election, when the country’s top security officers forced the electoral commission to delay the vote for six weeks. |
| Those extra six weeks of campaigning and spending gave Mr. Jonathan time to mount a last-minute offensive against Boko Haram, with the deployment of South African mercenaries. The offensive reclaimed, for now, much of the territory Boko Haram had held in the northeast. | Those extra six weeks of campaigning and spending gave Mr. Jonathan time to mount a last-minute offensive against Boko Haram, with the deployment of South African mercenaries. The offensive reclaimed, for now, much of the territory Boko Haram had held in the northeast. |
| Help came from neighboring countries like Chad, though the Nigerian military has claimed credit for the offensive. Still, a crucial question in the election’s immediate aftermath had been whether security forces would allow power to pass to Mr. Buhari. | Help came from neighboring countries like Chad, though the Nigerian military has claimed credit for the offensive. Still, a crucial question in the election’s immediate aftermath had been whether security forces would allow power to pass to Mr. Buhari. |
| Mr. Buhari won in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and major city. His supporters appear to have been more strongly motivated than those of a president whose reputation had suffered from repeated corruption scandals. | |
| Last year, after the governor of the country’s central bank repeatedly asserted that billions of dollars in oil revenue owed to the treasury was missing from public coffers, he was removed from his post. | Last year, after the governor of the country’s central bank repeatedly asserted that billions of dollars in oil revenue owed to the treasury was missing from public coffers, he was removed from his post. |
| The missing funds could amount to “$10.8 billion or $12 billion or $19 billion or $21 billion — we do not know at this point,” the bank governor wrote to the Nigerian Senate before his dismissal, adding that the problem “has been going on for a long time” and could “bring the entire economy to its knees.” | The missing funds could amount to “$10.8 billion or $12 billion or $19 billion or $21 billion — we do not know at this point,” the bank governor wrote to the Nigerian Senate before his dismissal, adding that the problem “has been going on for a long time” and could “bring the entire economy to its knees.” |
| An audit commissioned by the government has yet to be released. | An audit commissioned by the government has yet to be released. |
| Questions have also swirled about the way the government allocates crude oil to middlemen who then make huge profits from reselling it. Beyond that, some corrupt officials have been pardoned; others suspected of abusing the public trust have been excused. | Questions have also swirled about the way the government allocates crude oil to middlemen who then make huge profits from reselling it. Beyond that, some corrupt officials have been pardoned; others suspected of abusing the public trust have been excused. |
| Mr. Jonathan’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has lasted nearly six years, has also stirred deep resentment. In New York, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council on Monday that Boko Haram had killed more than 7,300 civilians in three states in northern Nigeria since the beginning of 2014 alone, and 1.5 million people had been displaced in Nigeria and neighboring countries, according to the United Nations. | Mr. Jonathan’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has lasted nearly six years, has also stirred deep resentment. In New York, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council on Monday that Boko Haram had killed more than 7,300 civilians in three states in northern Nigeria since the beginning of 2014 alone, and 1.5 million people had been displaced in Nigeria and neighboring countries, according to the United Nations. |
| The government’s military campaign against the group has often been brutal as well, with officials and witnesses in the north describing mass killings of civilians by Nigerian soldiers, harrowing detentions of residents, and often little effort to distinguish militants from the innocent. | The government’s military campaign against the group has often been brutal as well, with officials and witnesses in the north describing mass killings of civilians by Nigerian soldiers, harrowing detentions of residents, and often little effort to distinguish militants from the innocent. |
| “We need change; people have been tired for a very long time,” said Ibrahim Sanusi, 24, a civil servant who had joined the crowds outside the Emir’s Palace here Tuesday night. “People need to feel safer. After that, corruption and jobs. We need peace of mind. That is what the government must provide.” | “We need change; people have been tired for a very long time,” said Ibrahim Sanusi, 24, a civil servant who had joined the crowds outside the Emir’s Palace here Tuesday night. “People need to feel safer. After that, corruption and jobs. We need peace of mind. That is what the government must provide.” |
| “Yesterday, he was a soldier,” Mr. Sanusi said, dismissing Mr. Buhari’s authoritarian past, which occurred before he was born. “And now, we have elected him.” |