Buhari's Campaign: Nigeria's President Concedes Defeat

02:27

March 31, 2015

The Associated Press

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan (left), and APC main opposition party's presidential candidate Mohammadu Buhari shake hands under the eyes of Chairman of the Abuja Peace Accord former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar (center), after signing the renewal of the pledges for peaceful elections on March 26, 2015 in Abuja. Security is a major concern at Saturday's vote both from Boko Haram violence against voters and polling stations to clashes between rival supporters. In 2011, around 1,000 people were killed in violence after Jonathan beat Buhari to the presidency. (Philip Ojisua/AFP/Getty Images)

Nigerian opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari's campaign says President Goodluck Jonathan called to concede defeat, paving the way for a peaceful transfer of power in Africa's richest and most populous nation.

An aide in Jonathan's offices says the president is preparing to make a speech.

Buhari's campaign office sent text messages to journalists saying Jonathan had called Buhari to say he will concede.

It comes as Buhari, a former military dictator, holds a commanding lead in elections that have dealt a crushing defeat to Jonathan, Nigeria's leader for the past five years.

Celebrations have erupted all over Buhari's strongholds in northern Nigeria but the streets of Abuja the capital are deserted amid fears of violence from Jonathan's supporters in the south.

Guest

Darren Kew, executive director of the Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He tweets @DarrenKew.

This segment aired on March 31, 2015.