The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday afternoon, presented the Certificate of Return to the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and his deputy, Senator Kashim Shettima.
The certificate was presented to Tinubu by the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
Tinubu’s deputy, Senator Kashim Shettima, also received his own Certificate of Return at the event.
Speaking after receiving the Certificate of Return, the president-elect said the road had been long and yet they won, adding that the battle had been fought and the victory won.
Tinubu re-emphasised that he is just a servant and that the Certificate of Return symbolised “our democratic attainment.”
“It also symbolises that each of you has the ability to achieve what you set out to achieve. I am not different from anyone of you, if I can do this, you can do better and you must do better.
“We should shun prejudice, no one is superior to the other or entitled to any opportunity than any Nigeria. Soon this nation will witness a young person standing before you. By dint of handwork and determination you can achieve this.
“There are young people listening to me who will aspired to get here. I will work day and night, especially for the youths to make Nigeria better. It cannot simply be a victory for one man and one party, but victory for Nigeria,” he said.
The presentation came about 12 hours after Tinubu was declared winner of the February 25 poll, in which he garnering 8,794,726 votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, who scored 6,984,520.
Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer, took his first shot at the presidency in a keenly contested race.
The former Governor of Lagos State came out top in 12 of the 36 states of the Federation, and secured significant numbers in several other states to clinch the country’s top job.
Abubakar, who has run for president six times, got 6,984,520 votes, while the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, galvanised young voters in a manner some have described as unprecedented, finished the race with 6,101,533.