MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Moscow hails peaceful and transparent presidential elections in Nigeria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
"On March 28-29 Nigeria held presidential elections. According to the official data released by the Independent Election Commission, Muhammadu Buhari, a candidate from the opposition All Progressives Congress party has won the elections, securing 53.95% of the votes," a Foreign Ministry statement says. "The inauguration ceremony of the new president is scheduled for May 29 this year."
Monitors from the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and a number of African NGOs have recognized the elections as free and fair, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"No serious irregularities capable of affecting the election process have been registered", it added.
Moscow "welcomes peaceful and transparent elections in Nigeria, which have become an important milestone in the country’s democratic development."