The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also praised for its conduct during the elections. The deployment of sensitive and non-sensitive materials to voting points was done on time, despite some delays in some areas. The report noted that this did not deter voters from performing their civic duties.
In addition, there were minimal incidences of vote buying across the country, thanks to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) random visits to polling units unannounced to arrest anyone involved in such acts. The redesign of currency in the country also reduced vote buying to the barest minimum.
However, the whole electoral process was not without controversies, as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, and ADC called for the cancellation of the presidential elections. They argued that INEC did not comply with the law in collating and announcing results.
Despite the controversies, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the presidential election in a tightly contested poll amid several fraud claims. He gathered 8,794,726 votes across 12 states to emerge as the president-elect. Atiku Abubakar of the PDP followed closely, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party became third, and former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party finished fourth.
Overall, the peaceful and transparent elections are a significant milestone for Nigeria’s democracy. It is hoped that future elections will build on this success and further strengthen the country’s democracy.