Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi has acknowledged that he has no evidence to prove his claim that he won the 2023 presidential election. In an interview with BBC Africa, Obi stated that despite his repeated assertions that the election was rigged, he has no concrete evidence to support his claims. He maintained, however, that he still believes he emerged victorious in the election.
Obi's comments come after his legal challenges to the election results were dismissed by the courts. The Independent National Electoral Commission declared Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress the winner of the 2023 presidential election with 8,794,726 votes. Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party came second with 6,984,520 votes, while Obi finished third with 6,101,533 votes. Obi and Atiku had separately challenged the outcome at the Presidential Election Petition Court, but their petitions were dismissed.
The Supreme Court subsequently upheld Tinubu's victory in October 2023. Despite this, Obi continues to insist that the election was rigged. When asked why he maintains this position, Obi responded that he does not like going back to the past and instead chooses to focus on the future. He reaffirmed his position, saying, "I won the election and that's where I will end."
Obi also rejected the suggestion that he could step down if opposition parties eventually agree on another candidate to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 election. Instead, he argued that opposition parties should focus on increasing voter participation rather than asking candidates to withdraw from the race. According to Obi, the opposition should concentrate on mobilizing additional voters.
Obi, who is seeking the presidency again in 2027 under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, defended his position on fuel subsidy, dismissing claims that his stance had changed. He maintained that his criticism of the subsidy regime had always centered on corruption. Obi stated that if elected president, he would retain the subsidy while eliminating what he described as the corruption surrounding the system.
Speaking about how he would tackle corruption, Obi said he would personally take charge of the fight. He emphasized that his approach would differ from that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, with Obi being directly involved in the anti-corruption efforts. Obi expressed confidence that his approach would yield better results.
As the 2027 presidential election approaches, Obi's stance on various issues, including corruption and fuel subsidy, is likely to be closely watched by Nigerians. His determination to take charge of anti-corruption efforts and his refusal to step down in favor of another opposition candidate demonstrate his commitment to his vision for the country. Key developments in Nigerian politics continue to unfold.
Key points
- Peter Obi concedes no evidence supports his claim of winning 2023 presidential election.
- Obi rejects suggestion to step down for another opposition candidate.
- Obi vows to personally lead anti-corruption efforts if elected president.
