>> Africa's largest democracy
has a newly elected president.
A longtime Nigeria kingmaker has
declared the winner today with
over 36% of the vote.
Firstly contested election was
not without controversy.
Long lines and delays have led
the opposition to allege fraud
and there have been sporadic
protests and some violence since
the election.
A Nigerian American academic and
a senior fellow at the council
on foreign relations joins me
now.
Welcome to the newshour.
Before we get into the
candidates and the results, help
us understand how significant
this election was especially
given Nigeria's history of what
Terry.
Is it -- history of military
will.
Is it fair to call this a
turning point?
>> It is fair to say that
because since 1999 this is the
first election in which there
was no former army general on
the ballot.
All of the candidates were
proper civilians.
It is also an election for the
first time the bulk of young
people sought to overthrow the
old established order in the
country.
They did not succeed.
The energy they brought to the
election, the new secure -- the
new urgency was something that
moods -- that moves the way for
Nigeria.
>> He --
a man from the smaller labour
party.
How did he win?
What was his message?
>> I don't think it is the
message as much as the craft
that had wrought to the game.
-- The craft it had brought to
the game.
He appointed every successive
governor of legos up until now
-- of Lagos.
He was able to take into and
exploit all the alliances that
had built over a long time.
That is what he won the
election.
>> There were some familiar
issues to American politics and
there were questions raised
about his age.
He is 70 years old.
The Russians raised about his
claims he worked for the company
to wait which turned out to be
not true.
Either of those -- did either of
those turn out not to be true?
>> The president of the united
States is 80.
That makes him a spring chicken
.
What we should be talking about
is whether he has the energy,
vitality, the know-how and
expertise to rural Nigeria.
I would focus on that rather
than talking about his age.
>> There were a lot of issues
around the tech deployed for
this election which is leading
the opposition to say there was
fraud and turnout was low.
Just around 27%.
Why do you think that is?
>> I think turnout was low
because of the environment in
which the election took place.
There was this very
controversial monetary policy
implemented by the central bank
of Nigeria which left people
bereft of cash.
People could not get around.
The election was the last thing
on people's mind.
>> There were questions -- there
were allegations of fraud.
There were long lines, delays at
some places.
Do you think the charges of
fraud have merit?
>> I don't think so.
I don't think so for a couple of
reasons.
I think people should
distinguish between fraud and
irregularity.
If you look at the results it
does not support the allegation
of an orchestrated systematic
raking by anyone.
There were irregularities but
those irregularities were of a
national character.
They did not just take place in
a one zone or region.
They took place across the
country.
I have heard about those
allocations but I do not think
the case has been sufficiently
made.
>> So he now takes card of
Africa's most populous nation.
-- Takes charge of Africa's most
popular nation.
-- Populous nation.
It is facing a serious economic
crisis and deep polarization.
What is ahead for Nigeria?
>> Insecurity is very high.
The economy is in the basement.
Infrastructure is degraded.
Young people are disenchanted.
What this means is that the new
president will have to find a
way to respond to all these
while keeping the political
system itself in --
if we look at what it was able
to do between 1999 and 2007
there is hope but there is no
doubt to succeed as president he
will have to reach out to the
political elite and young people
across the country.
>> Senior fellow at the council