By Patrick McGroarty in Lagos, Nigeria, and Heidi Vogt in Yola, Nigeria
Nigerians chose a former military dictator and anticorruption
crusader to lead Africa's top economy, after a bruising election
spotlighted the government's struggle to tackle an Islamist
insurgency and to spread its oil wealth more equitably across a
deeply divided nation.
With just one state left to report, Nigeria's election
commission said Muhammadu Buhari had won 53% of 29 million votes
cast over the weekend. President Goodluck Jonathan, the first
incumbent to lose an election since democracy returned to the
nation in 1999, won 46%.
Mr. Jonathan called Mr. Buhari, a retired general, to
congratulate him on his victory, said Osita Chidoka, Nigeria's
aviation minister and a close associate of the president. Mr.
Chidoka said the president would address the nation later
Tuesday.
A peaceful transition would be a historic step for Nigeria and
the continent over which it holds increasing sway. The country's
fitful democracy has suffered postelection violence in the past,
and a presidential race has never been this close.
Human Rights Watch says more than 800 people were killed after
Mr. Jonathan defeated Mr. Buhari in 2011. This was Mr. Buhari's
fourth run for the presidency.
From the commercial capital of Lagos to towns in the northeast
beset by the Islamist insurgency Boko Haram, Nigerians filled the
streets on Tuesday to celebrate Mr. Buhari's victory.
"Jonathan didn't see everything we need--so many things," said
Joseph Odeh, a 19-year-old assistant cook listening to radio
reports of the president's defeat while perched on a pile of cinder
blocks in Lagos. "Buhari will bring change to our country."
Both candidates had pledged to respect the results if they
deemed them credible. That became a critical caveat this week as
both camps complained about a chaotic voting process in some
quarters of this country of 170 million, Africa's most
populous.
Mr. Jonathan's Peoples Democratic Party said earlier Tuesday
that it wanted results thrown out in a number of northern states
that backed Mr. Buhari.
The PDP's Peter Godsday Orubebe also accused the commission of
investigating reports of voting irregularities only in a southern
state Mr. Buhari hoped to win. "We have lost confidence in the
process," he said.
Mr. Buhari's party brushed aside the claims. "They are just bad
losers," said party spokesman Lai Mohammed. The party urged its
supporters to remain calm even if Mr. Jonathan's backers attempt
"to subvert the course of the electoral process and, indeed,
democracy in the country."
Before the outcome was determined on Tuesday, White House
spokesman Josh Earnest praised Nigerians for voting and said it
appeared that the election was free and fair, given the presence of
international observers.
In 1990, just three African countries were democracies,
according to Freedom House, a Washington-based pro-democracy group.
By 1994, the count was 18. Now, just 19 qualify.
Angola and Zimbabwe are among countries that have staged what
civil groups called deeply flawed elections in recent years,
extending the rule of presidents in office for three decades.
Other countries including Senegal and Zambia have managed
peaceful transitions after opposition candidates won elections. But
an opposition victory against an entrenched ruling party in a
country with Nigeria's oil wealth is unprecedented, said Muna
Ndulo, a professor at Cornell University Law School.
"Peaceful transfer of power through elections is possible in
Africa," he said.
The shakeout for Nigeria's political class, which draws its
power from the continent's top crude industry, will be deeply felt,
said Stephen Chan, an international-relations professor at London's
School of Oriental and African Studies. "Big beasts in the
political landscape in Nigeria will be seeing the writing on the
wall."
Some warned that Mr. Buhari needs to prove he can live up to the
democratic mandate he has received.
"Gen. Buhari would be making a mistake if he felt we will all go
to sleep again now," said Ayo Obe, a Nigerian human-rights
advocate.
Mr. Buhari's backers say he intends to meet that challenge. He
led the country for 20 months after a 1983 military coup, but now
says he embraces democratic rights.
"He's a repentant democrat," said Rotimi Amaechi, governor of
the oil-rich Rivers State and a campaign leader for Mr. Buhari.
Mr. Buhari will also face a tall order in meeting his promises
to crack down on corruption and revive Nigeria's sagging economy.
Plunging crude prices have shot big holes in the federal budget,
and the naira currency is trading at record lows.
As a northerner with deep ties to the elite business and
traditional Muslim leaders in the region, the president-elect is
positioned to forge partnerships there that eluded Mr. Jonathan.
Prominent northern leaders like Borno State Gov. Kashim Shettima
and former central bank chief Sanusi Lamido Sanusi ended up
adversaries of Mr. Jonathan's.
Nigerians waited in long lines this week to fill up on gas and
withdraw cash from automated-teller machines. Demand for everything
from Champagne to small loans has sagged along with the oil
price.
"Things are almost at a standstill," said Olutoyin Okeowo, an
executive at a group that normally imports 35,000 Toyota vehicles
annually. Last year, business fell more than a third as sentiment
soured in Africa's top economy. He is counting on a change in
government to turn things around.
"Now Nigerians are more politically aware. They know what to
expect," Mr. Okeowo said. "The government must live up to
that."
In Yola, cars honked as they sped through town and young men
shouted and held up Buhari campaign posters. Others burned Jonathan
posters.
"We are so happy! We are celebrating!" yelled 23-year-old Aminu
Yahya. He said he expected Mr. Buhari to bring employment and
security.
"We need Buhari to clear Boko Haram out of Nigeria," he said as
a dozen others crowded around him, waving flashlights and shouting
"Buhari!"
Fatima Umar, a 20-year-old student, grinned as she sauntered
down the street with two friends, all holding Buhari posters in
front of them.
"My future is not so bad anymore. We have a change of president,
"she said.
Asked what she hoped Buhari would bring, she said: "Security,
schools, water, roads, everything!"
Gbenga Akingbule in Abuja, Nigeria, contributed to this
article.
Write to Patrick McGroarty at patrick.mcgroarty@wsj.com and
Heidi Vogt at heidi.vogt@wsj.com