Nigeria election: Muhammadu Buhari wins by 2.57m votes in official result

Local youths celebrate on March 31, 2015 the victory of main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Mohammadu Buhari in Abuja. AFP PHOTO | EMMANUEL AREWA

ABUJA, NIGERIA

The main opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari won Nigeria's presidential election by 2.57 million votes, according to official results announced on Wednesday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission said the 72-year-old, from the All Progressives Congress (APC), won 15,424,921 votes or 53.95 per cent of the 28,587,564 total valid votes cast.

His nearest rival, President Goodluck Jonathan, 57, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won 12,853,162 (44.96 percent) at the election, which was held on Saturday and Sunday.

INEC chairman Attahiru Jega said: "Muhammadu Buhari, of the APC, having satisfied the requirement for the law and scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected."