Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar vow to challenge Nigeria election result

  • Published
Atiku Abubakar raise hands during a campaign rally in Kano, northwest Nigeria, on 9 FebruaryImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition PDP came second with 29%

The second-placed candidate in Nigeria's election, Atiku Abubakar, has joined third-placed Peter Obi in saying he will challenge the result in court.

Mr Abubakar of the main opposition PDP called the result "a rape of democracy" after getting 29% of the vote.

Hours earlier the Labour Party's Mr Obi, who got 25%, told supporters they had been "robbed" of victory, and vowed to "prove it to Nigerians".

Bola Tinubu of the ruling APC party was declared the winner, with 37%.

The election "was grossly flawed in every material particular and as such, must be challenged by all of us", Mr Abubakar said, adding that he was consulting his lawyers.

Earlier, Mr Obi said Saturday's elections would go down as "one of the most controversial elections in Nigeria's history".

"The good and hard-working people of Nigeria have again been robbed by our supposed leaders whom they trusted," he told journalists on Thursday.

Both politicians have 21 days from the day the results were announced to challenge the result at Nigeria's highest appeal court.

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Peter Obi said the election would go down as "one of the most controversial elections in Nigeria's history"

Mr Obi refused to say what evidence he had to prove that he won the election but his challenge is likely to be based on the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) to publish results from the polling units in real time using a new electronic transmission system.

Inec's guideline for the election explicitly states that results from each of the more than 176,000 polling stations will be electronically transmitted to the commission's collation system and also uploaded to its website.

But that was not possible on Saturday, with Inec apologising for what it called "technical glitches". It said that any discrepancies between results on the portal and "physical results" would be investigated and resolved.

Inec also blamed delays on factors beyond its control, like the lack of internet access at some polling stations, for its inability to upload the results.

But days after the elections ended, the commission has still not uploaded all the results from the polling units to its website.

The elections were marred by lengthy delays which saw some voters queuing through the night to cast their ballots and voting extended to Sunday in some areas.

There were also some cases of arming men attacking polling stations and stealing ballot boxes.

But it is not clear whether such problems were enough to affect the outcome, as Mr Tinubu had a margin of victory of about 1.8 million votes.

Saturday's election was Mr Abubakar's sixth unsuccessful attempt at the presidency.

Although Mr Obi was with the PDP until last year, and was its vice-presidential candidate in 2019, he was seen by many as a fresh face, and mounted a strong challenge to the two parties which have dominated Nigeria since the end of military rule in 1999.

He gained particular support among young people, especially in the south, who feel they have been failed by previous generations of political leaders.

Nigeria election results 2023: Up-to-date results of presidential and parliamentary races

Nigerians cast their votes in Saturday’s general election. They had 18 candidates to choose from for president and people also voted for senators and members of the house of representatives. The BBC is using data provided by Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) to tally the results.

Nigeria presidential results 2023

To win in the first round, a candidate must have the largest number of votes nationwide and at least 25% of the votes in two-thirds of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (Abuja)

Last updated: 19/04/2023, 18:00:24 local time (GMT+1)

Final results

Candidates
Votes
36.61%
Bola Tinubu
8,794,726
All Progressives Congress
Votes
8,794,726
At least 25% of state votes
27
29.07%
Atiku Abubakar
6,984,520
Peoples Democratic Party
Votes
6,984,520
At least 25% of state votes
20
6.23%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,496,687
New Nigeria Peoples Party
Votes
1,496,687
At least 25% of state votes
1
25.4%
Peter Obi
6,101,533
Labour Party
Votes
6,101,533
At least 25% of state votes
16
2.7%
Others
648,474
Others
Votes
648,474
At least 25% of state votes
0

Presidential election results by state

All Progressives Congress (APC)
Labour Party (LP)
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
Others
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
Undeclared
Nigeria
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
8,794,726
36.61%
Atiku Abubakar
6,984,520
29.07%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,496,687
6.23%
Peter Obi
6,101,533
25.4%
Others
648,474
2.7%

Abia
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
8,914
2.41%
Atiku Abubakar
22,676
6.13%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,239
0.33%
Peter Obi
327,095
88.4%
Others
10,113
2.73%

Adamawa
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
182,881
25.01%
Atiku Abubakar
417,611
57.12%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
8,006
1.1%
Peter Obi
105,648
14.45%
Others
16,994
2.32%

Akwa Ibom
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
160,620
28.94%
Atiku Abubakar
214,012
38.55%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
7,796
1.4%
Peter Obi
132,683
23.9%
Others
39,978
7.2%

Anambra
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
5,111
0.83%
Atiku Abubakar
9,036
1.47%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,967
0.32%
Peter Obi
584,621
95.24%
Others
13,126
2.14%

Bauchi
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
316,694
37.1%
Atiku Abubakar
426,607
49.98%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
72,103
8.45%
Peter Obi
27,373
3.21%
Others
10,739
1.26%

Bayelsa
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
42,572
25.75%
Atiku Abubakar
68,818
41.63%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
540
0.33%
Peter Obi
49,975
30.23%
Others
3,420
2.07%

Benue
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
310468
40.32%
Atiku Abubakar
130,081
16.89%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
4,740
0.62%
Peter Obi
308,372
40.04%
Others
16,414
2.13%

Borno
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
252,282
54.22%
Atiku Abubakar
190,921
41.03%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
4,626
0.99%
Peter Obi
7,205
1.55%
Others
10,253
2.2%

Cross River
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
130,520
31.3%
Atiku Abubakar
95,425
22.89%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,644
0.39%
Peter Obi
179,917
43.15%
Others
9,462
2.27%

Delta
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
90,183
14.66%
Atiku Abubakar
161,600
26.26%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
3,122
0.51%
Peter Obi
341,866
55.56%
Others
18,570
3.02%

Ebonyi
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
42,402
13.03%
Atiku Abubakar
13,503
4.15%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,661
0.51%
Peter Obi
259,738
79.83%
Others
8,047
2.47%

Edo
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
144,471
24.85%
Atiku Abubakar
89,585
15.41%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
2,743
0.47%
Peter Obi
331,163
56.97%
Others
13,304
2.29%

Ekiti
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
201,494
65.38%
Atiku Abubakar
89,554
29.06%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
264
0.09%
Peter Obi
11,397
3.7%
Others
5,462
1.77%

Enugu
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
4,772
1.05%
Atiku Abubakar
15,749
3.45%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,808
0.4%
Peter Obi
428,640
93.91%
Others
5,455
1.2%

Gombe
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
146,977
28.82%
Atiku Abubakar
319,123
62.57%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
10,520
2.06%
Peter Obi
26,160
5.13%
Others
7263
1.42%

Imo
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
66,406
14.21%
Atiku Abubakar
30,234
6.47%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,552
0.33%
Peter Obi
360,495
77.13%
Others
8693
1.86%

Jigawa
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
421,390
45.78%
Atiku Abubakar
386,587
42%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
98,234
10.67%
Peter Obi
1,889
0.21%
Others
12,431
1.35%

Kaduna
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
399,293
29.36%
Atiku Abubakar
554,360
40.76%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
92,969
6.84%
Peter Obi
294,494
21.65%
Others
19,037
1.4%

Kano
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
517,341
30.4%
Atiku Abubakar
131,716
7.74%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
997,279
58.59%
Peter Obi
28,513
1.68%
Others
27,156
1.6%

Katsina
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
482,283
45.56%
Atiku Abubakar
489,045
46.19%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
69,386
6.55%
Peter Obi
6,376
0.6%
Others
11,583
1.09%

Kebbi
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
248,088
44.34%
Atiku Abubakar
285,175
50.97%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
5,038
0.9%
Peter Obi
10,682
1.91%
Others
10,539
1.88%

Kogi
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
240,751
52.7%
Atiku Abubakar
145,104
31.77%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
4,238
0.93%
Peter Obi
56,217
12.31%
Others
10,480
2.29%

Kwara
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
263,572
56.08%
Atiku Abubakar
136,909
29.13%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
3,141
0.67%
Peter Obi
31,166
6.63%
Others
35,183
7.49%

Lagos
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
572,606
45.04%
Atiku Abubakar
75,750
5.96%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
8,442
0.66%
Peter Obi
582,454
45.81%
Others
32,199
2.53%

Nasarawa
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
172,922
32%
Atiku Abubakar
147,093
27.22%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
12,715
2.35%
Peter Obi
191,361
35.41%
Others
16,299
3.02%

Niger
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
375,183
47.09%
Atiku Abubakar
284,898
35.76%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
21,836
2.74%
Peter Obi
80452
10.1%
Others
34,299
4.31%

Ogun
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
341,554
58.88%
Atiku Abubakar
123,831
21.35%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
2,200
0.38%
Peter Obi
85,829
14.79%
Others
26,710
4.6%

Ondo
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
369,924
67.5%
Atiku Abubakar
115,463
21.07%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
930
0.17%
Peter Obi
44,405
8.1%
Others
17,341
3.16%

Osun
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
343945
46.91%
Atiku Abubakar
354366
48.33%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
713
0.1%
Peter Obi
23283
3.18%
Others
10,896
1.49%

Oyo
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
449,884
55.58%
Atiku Abubakar
182,977
22.6%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
4,095
0.51%
Peter Obi
99,110
12.24%
Others
73,419
9.07%

Plateau
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
307,195
28.23%
Atiku Abubakar
243,808
22.41%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
8,869
0.82%
Peter Obi
466,272
42.85%
Others
62,026
5.7%

Rivers
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
231,591
44.23%
Atiku Abubakar
88,468
16.89%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,322
0.25%
Peter Obi
175,071
33.43%
Others
27,199
5.19%

Sokoto
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
285,444
48.64%
Atiku Abubakar
288,679
49.19%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
1,300
0.22%
Peter Obi
6,568
1.12%
Others
4,884
0.83%

Taraba
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
135,165
27.07%
Atiku Abubakar
189,017
37.85%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
12,818
2.57%
Peter Obi
146,315
29.3%
Others
16,043
3.21%

Yobe
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
151,459
40.03%
Atiku Abubakar
198,567
52.48%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
18,270
4.83%
Peter Obi
2,406
0.64%
Others
7,695
2.03%

Zamfara
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
298,396
59.33%
Atiku Abubakar
193,978
38.57%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
4,044
0.8%
Peter Obi
1,660
0.33%
Others
4,845
0.96%

Abuja
Vote distribution
Candidates
Votes
%
Bola Tinubu
90,902
19.76%
Atiku Abubakar
74194
16.13%
Rabiu Kwankwaso
4,517
0.98%
Peter Obi
281717
61.23%
Others
8,741
1.9%

Senate results by party

Last updated: 19/04/2023, 18:00:24 local time (GMT+1)

Party Seats
All Progressives Congress 59
Peoples Democratic Party 36
Labour Party 8
Others 4
New Nigeria Peoples Party 2
Source: Independent National Electoral Commission

House of Representatives results by party

Last updated: 19/04/2023, 18:00:24 local time (GMT+1)

Party Seats
All Progressives Congress 159
Peoples Democratic Party 104
Labour Party 35
New Nigeria Peoples Party 18
Others 9
Inconclusive 35
Source: Independent National Electoral Commission

Around the BBC