April 4, 2015 4:19 PM CEST
After becoming the first politician in
Nigerian history to succeed a sitting leader by
ballot, president-elect Muhammadu Buhari has
promised to "spare no effort" to
defeat Islamist militant group Boko Haram.
The 72-year-old general, who first came to power
three decades ago via a military coup and
campaigned as a born-again democrat, also
promised to tackle corruption in Africa's largest
economy.
"Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our
collective will. We should spare no effort,"
He said in his first formal speech since
winning the election. "In tackling the
insurgency, we have a tough and urgent job to
do."
The group has killed thousands of Christians in its quest to
carve out a caliphate in northeastern Nigeria.
Despite the killing of more than a dozen voters
by Boko Haram gunmen - who had pledged to
disrupt the poll - the election was one of the most
orderly in Nigeria's democratic history.
Buhari won the election with 15.4 million votes
to outgoing president Goodluck Jonathan's 13.3
million, a margin wide enough to prevent any
challenge.
In an unprecedented step, Jonathan phoned
Buhari to concede defeat and urged his
supporters to accept the result, a signal of
deepening democracy that few had expected in
Africa's most populous nation.
Buhari also congratulated Jonathan for peacefully
relinquishing power on Wednesday.
"President Jonathan was a worthy opponent and
I extend the hand of fellowship to him," Buhari,
wearing a black cap and kaftan, told reporters
and supporters to loud applause.
"We have proven to the world that we are people
who have embraced democracy. We have put
one-party state behind us."
The constitution states that Jonathan must officially
hand over on May 29.
His People's Democratic Party (PDP) has been in
charge since the end of army rule in 1999 but
had been losing support due to oil sector
corruption scandals and the government's lack
of success in combating Boko Haram.
"President Jonathan has placed his country's
interests first by conceding the election," U.S.
President Barack Obama said.
After becoming the first politician in