Abuja, April 1 (RHC)-- Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan has publicly conceded defeat to Muhammadu Buhari in the country’s presidential election. In a statement on Tuesday, the Nigerian president said: "I thank all Nigerians once again for the great opportunity I was given to lead this country and assure you that I will continue to do my best at the helm of national affairs until the end of my tenure." He added that he had conveyed his personal best wishes to General Buhari.

President-elect Buhari has vowed to end corruption and ensure peace and stability in the most populous nation of Africa. Celebrations are being held over Buhari's victory at his All Progressives Congress (APC) headquarters in Abuja and in cities across the country’s north.

Jonathon called on the members of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has been in power since the end of military rule in 1999, to respect the results of the voting.

Nigerians turned out in huge crowds to vote in the presidential election over the weekend. The country’s almost 60 million registered voters also cast their ballots in parliamentary elections, with 739 candidates competing for a place in Nigeria’s 109-seat Senate and 1,780 seeking election to the 360-seat House of Representatives.