VOTERS APATHY: HELPS BUHARI WIN A SECOND TERM.

ICHEOKU says Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressive Congress (APC) was reelected to a four year second term in office in last Saturday, February 23rd, 2019 presidential election, defeating his closest rival, the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar. The reelected president received 15.2 million votes as against Atiku Abubakar who ended up with 11.3 million votes. 

Voter apathy, triggered by the deferred election of February 16th, 2019 which saw many previously traveled people not embarking on such journeys again, was partly to blame for the election result as 35.6% of registered voters participated in the election; thus leaving 64% of would be voters out of the election. As is always the case with many election, voters disinterest in any election always favors the incumbent and it reflected in the Nigeria's election. About 73 million people were duly registered to vote in the election, but only a mere 27 million plus actually cast their votes, favoring the president against his closest challenger Atiku Abubakar. 

By exercising their votes as they did, it would seem that Nigerians, despite their hardships, are on the verge of repairing their notoriety as a fantastically corrupt people by rejecting a fantastically corrupt polygamist and the world's acknowledged face of corruption in Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar. They choose the ascetic Muhammadu Buhari against the raunchy and over indulging Atiku Abubakar, thereby telegraphing a powerful message that they are tired of corruption and technically signed on to the president's ongoing effort to root out corruption in Nigeria. 

ICHEOKU says Nigerians now hope that the retained president has learnt enough lessons from his first term and will now consolidate on the gains as he retools the areas that is not producing as expected. Nigerians also hope to see him live up to his renewed promise to correct all the observed anomalies of his first term in office, including being fair to all regions in appointment as well as running a more inclusive broader government where every Nigeria will feel welcomed. 

Hopefully he will keep his promise to finally solve the Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen problems; and continue to do what is necessary to improve the lives and living conditions of Nigerians. Also if the president can learn to trust other people from other parts of the country more and cease belonging only to his Fulani nation, possibly, his second term will be a much improvement from his first. That the president must intensify the war on corruption and be fair across the board about it, and sparing nobody, regardless of loyalty and party affiliation is one of the reasons Nigerians voted to retain him. 

ICHEOKU says congratulations to President Muhammadu Buhari, who in his remarks following his victory said, "I am deeply humbled that you found me worthy of continuing to serve you." Hopefully every Nigerian will this time feel that the president belongs to nobody but to all Nigerians. Best of luck President Muhammadu Buhari and may your second term be an improved version from your first.