As both sets of supporters claim victory PDP calls on Buhari to concede defeat as figures show Atiku won

BOTH the main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are claiming victory in yesterday's elections after counting and collation of results began today.

Yesterday, Nigeria held presidential, senatorial and members of House of Representatives elections across the 36 states of the federation in a mammoth exercise that involved 74m registered voters registered to vote. In a few states like Anambra, Rivers and Lagos, there were incidences of violence at some polling units and on several local government areas but in the main, the elections were free, fair and credible.

Over the next few days, the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) will being collating the results with a view to declaring a winner later this week. However, before the official results have been announced, both parties are claiming victory, with the PDP issuing a statement calling on the APC to stop whining over its rejection in the presidential elections and quietly accept the will of the people.

PDP publicity secretary Kola Ologbondiyan, said: "The PDP alerts Nigerians that the APC and agents of the Buhari presidency, being bewildered by defeat, are now plotting to discredit the votes which Nigerians freely delivered to the peoples candidate, Atiku Abubakar at their polling units. Part of this plot is to trigger mayhem and burn down Inec offices in order to claim that all evidence of our winning the votes have been destroyed.

"The PDP reminds President Buhari and the APC that the polling unit is the foundation of the election and all our agents and supporters already have the results from all the polling centres and voting points across the country. As such, our party is holding strongly to our results as already delivered by the people at the polling units and such cannot be altered.

"The PDP therefore counsels President Buhari and his APC to respect the will of the people and accept the verdict of the election. It is not for President Buhari to direct his campaign spokesperson to tell Nigerians that no party should rejoice.

"For us in the PDP, we already have the figures and we are aware that Nigerians in their resolve and consensus have settled their votes in favour of the people's candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as the next president of our country. President Buhari should be prepared to take his defeat in good faith, after all, he will not be the first sitting president to lose in an election."