Hello, I’m back!

By Olusegun Olanrewaju and Oluseyi Odewale (Lagos) and Cross Udo, Abuja, with agency reports

In a turn of events that has electrified global headlines, Donald Trump (Republican) has made a staggering return to the White House, emerging victorious in a high-stakes political clash that saw Vice President Kamala Harris (Democrat) knocked out of contention.

Defying conventional wisdom, Trump’s comeback has left political experts reeling and ignited fierce debates in Washington and worldwide.

This victory wasn’t just another election but a statement that signals a profound shift in the American political landscape.

The campaign was marked by bold promises, intense rallies, and a relentless push to sway voters.

Trump’s return taps into a powerful vein of discontent among Americans looking for strong, decisive leadership in a time of uncertainty. Supporters see his win as a fresh chance to “make America great again” and reignite the policies that bring economic strength, law, and order.

Yet the stakes of this political upset go far beyond US borders. Leaders worldwide are recalculating their strategies, wondering what Trump’s return means for foreign policy, trade, and global alliances.

As he reclaims the Oval Office, many questions hang in the air: How will he approach relations with China and Russia? Will he reverse climate agreements, immigration policies, and diplomatic ties formed over the last few years?

*World leaders, including Tinubu, and his counterparts in Mexico, Ukraine, Egypt, Canada, UK felicitate with him

Reactions from all parts of the globe were varied, ranging from embrace in most columns in the US itself to indifference and even denigration in different regions.

It was a mixed bag as leaders and commentators worldwide reacted to Trump’s victory yesterday.

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has congratulated Donald Trump on his re-election as the 47th President of the United States of America.

Tinubu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said he looked forward to strengthening the ties between Nigeria and the United States amid the complex challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world.

The President said, “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.

“Trump’s victory reflects the trust and confidence the American people have placed in his leadership. He congratulates them on their commitment to democracy.

“President Tinubu believes that, given President Trump’s experience as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, his return to the White House as the 47th president will usher in an era of earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States.

“Acknowledging the United States’ influence, power, and position in determining the trend and course of global events, the Nigerian leader trusts that President Trump will bring the world closer to peace and prosperity.”

In Nigeria, former president Atiku Abubakar described it as a lesson for Nigerians that “the integrity of the process ensures a credible outcome.”

He said every Nigerian expected the Trump administration to “stand resolute in ensuring free and fair elections in Nigeria and other places in the world.”

Atiku also extended his “warm congratulations to the people of the United States, whose unwavering faith in the power of democracy and the sanctity of the ballot has once again shown the world the true might of the people’s voice.”

Also, some Nigerian Americans have congratulated Trump on his election victory.

It will be recalled that Ehiozuwa Agbonayinmma, a Nigerian-American and former member of the House of Representatives, had expressed support for the Republican presidential candidate in the November 5 elections.

A member of the Democratic Party, Agbonayinmma, had contended that US presidents on the Republican Party platform had always shown more concern for Nigeria than their Democratic counterparts.

Speaking after the declaration of Trump as the winner of the keenly contested election, he noted that during the administration of Barack Obama, America refused to sell arms to Nigeria to fight insurgency and terrorism.

He added that it was the Trump administration, under a Republican president, that salvaged the situation.

*France

French President Emmanuel Macron said they had a “very good discussion” with Trump about the world’s major crises during a 25-minute phone call.

He expressed his views on the “importance” of the US reckoning with the European Union, and both leaders discussed Ukraine and the Middle East.

According to his office, the French President was making himself available to continue working with Trump on these issues and making efforts toward peace and stability.

*Iran

Iran’s cabinet spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, maintained that the US election results “will not heavily impact Iran as major policies of America and the Islamic Republic are fixed, and they won’t heavily change by people replacing others.”

*South Africa

In Johannesburg, South Africa, Voice of America (VOA) 60 reports that people in the former apartheid enclave have mixed reactions to the victory, “and more’.

Indeed, there were mixed opinions on the streets of Johannesburg about Trump’s victory in the US presidential election.

*Ukraine

In war-scarred Ukraine, embattled regions also reacted to the victory.

Residents of the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk seek help from the incoming President.  “Trump promised to help bring peace to Ukraine,” one local told RFE/RL. “We want to believe him.”

*Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in Israel, “Congratulations on history’s most remarkable comeback! Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the alliance between Israel and America.

“This is a huge victory! In true friendship,” he posted on the social media platform X.

Israel Katz, who was named defence minister on Tuesday after Netanyahu fired Yoav Gallant, said, “Together, we’ll strengthen the US-Israel alliance, bring back the hostages, and stand firm to defeat the axis of evil led by Iran.”

Far-right ministers in the Netanyahu administration also celebrated. “Yes, God bless Trump,” said National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, “God bless Israel, God bless America.”

It was a mixed grill in the Middle East. Qataricemir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said he looked forward to working with Trump again “in promoting security and stability both in the region and globally.”

*Egypt

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said he hoped Trump’s return to the White House would help bring peace to the Middle East.

“I wish him all the success … and I look forward to reaching peace together, upholding regional stability, and strengthening the strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States and their friendly peoples,” el-Sisi said on X.

*Palestine

Palestinian group, Hamas, in a statement, also commented: “Our position on the new US administration depends on its positions and practical behaviour towards our Palestinian people, their legitimate rights and their just cause.”

The new President must “listen to the voices of the American community itself rejecting the aggression on Gaza,” it said in a statement, adding that the new US administration “must realise that our people are continuing to confront the occupation and will not accept a path that diminishes their rights.”

*United Kingdom

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “Congratulations, President-elect Trump, on your historic election victory. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead. As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy, and enterprise.”

*NATO

NATO’s Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, said Trump’s “leadership will again be key to keeping our Alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO.”

*European Union

The European Union stated, “The EU and the US are more than just allies. We are bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens,”

 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “So let’s work together on a strong transatlantic agenda that keeps delivering for them.”

European Council President Charles Michel said the 27-nation bloc and the US “have an enduring alliance and a historic bond. As allies and friends, the EU looks forward to continuing our constructive cooperation”.

*United Nations

“I congratulate President-elect Donald J. Trump, and I reaffirm my belief that the cooperation between the United States and the United Nations is an essential pillar of international relations,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

“The United Nations stands ready to work constructively with the incoming administration to address the dramatic challenges our world is facing,” he added.

*Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on X that the friendship between Canada and the US is “the envy of the world. I know President Trump and I will work together to create more opportunity, prosperity, and security for both of our nations. “

*Mexico

President Claudia Sheinbaum said Trump’s election victory was “no cause for concern” for Mexico, but she would await the official results before congratulating her.

“We are a free, independent, sovereign country and will have good relations with the United States. I am convinced of this,” she told a news conference. “For all Mexicans, there is no cause for concern, for our countrymen and women [in the US], for their relatives who are here, for Mexican businesswomen and businessmen – there is no cause for concern.”

*Argentina

“Congratulations on your formidable electoral victory,” President Javier Milei said on X. Now, Make America Great Again. You know that you can count on Argentina to carry out your task.”

*Brazil

“Democracy is the people’s voice and must always be respected. The world needs dialogue and joint work for more peace, development, and prosperity. I wish the new government luck and success,” President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said.

*Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted on X that it was “a much-needed victory for the world” and “the biggest comeback in US political history!”

*Bumpy road to power: hoop, hype…triumph

According to reports, Trump won 56 percent of the vote, suggesting that his backers included voters who disagree with the GOP on abortion rights and those who support marijuana legalization.

According to testimony, Trump’s comeback “is only the latest extraordinary turnaround for a man whose life has been filled with them.”

It goes, “He grew up in Queens, New York. His father, Fred, built huge housing developments in Queens and Brooklyn and amassed a fortune of about $300 million.

“After working for the family firm, Trump could draw on his father’s considerable resources and political connections when he moved to Manhattan — where he oversaw the redevelopment of a commuter hotel and then secured a property on Fifth Avenue where he built Trump Tower.

“He bought prestige properties and borrowed against them for new projects, but when prices slumped in the early 1990s, Trump fell hundreds of millions of dollars into debt.

“So significant were his losses that the banks could not allow him to go bankrupt.

By one account, Trump got down on his knees to beg a banker to give him another chance. “He recovered with the aid of his casinos in Atlantic City, floating a company that controlled them on the New York Stock Exchange.

“Trump sold off 60 per cent of his stake, settling his finances. Investors were less fortunate: the company filed for bankruptcy in 2004.

“It left Trump widely distrusted on Wall Street, but that year, he began appearing as the host of the reality television show, ‘The Apprentice.’

“A marketing man at NBC, in charge of promoting the show, recently recalled that Trump was the perfect choice to play the boss because he seemed to have plenty of time on his hands and no qualms about hiring a game show winner as one of his executives.”

After, he was said to have built a fake boardroom “because his own looked too shabby. “I’m the largest real estate developer in New York,” Trump declared in the show’s introduction.

It was reported that this claim apparently caused some amusement among New York real estate developers, but it appeared to have been taken more seriously by a broader TV audience that peaked at $28m.

*Wealth

It is on the records that his tax returns from 2000 to 2018, given to The New York Times by his niece Mary, suggested that ‘The Apprentice’ helped him earn $200m and a further $230m in endorsements. However, the newspaper also reported that golf courses he had acquired over the same period lost $315.6m.

His first presidential campaign, the report added, marked another radical turnaround for Trump.

“Sporadically, since his early forties, he mooted the idea of a presidential run — even forming an exploratory committee in 1999— but his announcement in 2015 prompted not much more than an amused eye-roll in his hometown.

*Political potholes

Records further showed that his presidency was marked by crises—including an impeachment in the House of Representatives—and by the time he left office, on January 20, 2021, some of his staunchest allies had abandoned him.

The city he departed looked like a militarised zone: checkpoints, army lorries blocking boulevards, soldiers at street corners, deployed because of what his supporters had done on January 6.

“Because of the president’s people!” exclaimed a resident that morning, gazing in amazement at the fortifications.

“We will be back in some form,” Trump said, speaking over aircraft engines from a stage at Andrews Air Force Base. “So, have a great life.”

Then, he was escorted to the YMCA by the village people. There, he kissed his daughter, Ivanka, exchanged awkward air kisses with his sons, Eric and Don Jr., and left town for his pink stucco fastness in Florida.

In the weeks that followed, he was impeached for a second time by the House of Representatives for the insurrection he was accused of inciting on January 6 but saved from conviction by Republican senators, most of whom remained wary, for all their fury at Trump, of provoking the wrath of his supporters.

Conviction would have barred him from seeking federal office ever again, and by voting against it, they kept open the possibility of a return, but they seemed to think it impossible.