Abuja, Mar 1 (IANS): Bola Tinubu from Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress party has won the country's presidential election, the lectoral body announced on Wednesday.

With over 8.79 million ballots, Tinubu secured the highest number of the total votes cast during the disputed election, Xinhua news agency quoted Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, as saying.

The 70-year-old president-elect defeated his closest rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Abubakar got over 6.98 million votes and was closely trailed by Peter Obi, candidate of the Labor Party, who secured about 6.1 million votes.

The election was one of the most hotly contested in the country's history, with Tinubu losing Lagos, his stronghold in the country's southwest region, to Obi.

Tinubu, who served as a former Lagos State governor and senator, had been eyeing the presidency for years to build a strong political structure with a vast network of supporters nationwide.

He campaigned for the presidency under the slogan: "It's my turn".

Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari will step down after two terms in office, marked by economic stagnation and growing insecurity around the country.