The Presidency and the All Progressives Congress, APC, have criticised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, over his claim that he won the 2023 presidential election.
Obi, who contested the 2023 election on the platform of the Labour Party, came third behind President Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, according to the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Speaking in an interview on Arise News, Obi maintained that he won the election and said he would continue to stand by the claim.
“I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened,” he said.
APC: Obi Should Prepare for Another Loss
Reacting to the claim, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said Obi could not have won the 2023 election.
Yilwatda, through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, questioned why INEC did not declare Obi the winner if he had actually secured victory.
“How can he say that he won the 2023 poll? How did he win it? Where is the result? He had no agents in many states of the North. Why didn’t INEC declare him as winner?” Tooki said.
He advised Obi to prepare for what he described as another defeat in the 2027 presidential election.
Presidency Accuses Obi of Political Arrogance
The Presidency also dismissed Obi’s claim, describing it as political fantasy.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said Obi was being driven by political ambition and arrogance.
“Mr. Obi is fat on ambition but drunk on political arrogance,” Dare said.
He argued that the Supreme Court’s final judgment on the 2023 presidential election had settled the matter, adding that only Nigerian voters could determine the winner of the 2027 election.
Dare said the electorate would decide President Tinubu’s fate in 2027.
Yari: Tinubu’s Challengers Not on His Level
Meanwhile, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, said none of the politicians challenging Tinubu in 2027 possessed even 10 per cent of the president’s qualities.
Yari made the comment while addressing members of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers in Gusau, Zamfara State.
According to him, while other candidates had the constitutional right to contest, Tinubu remained superior to his challengers in terms of experience, merit and competence.
Obi Promises Four-Year Transformation
In the interview, Obi also outlined his plans for Nigeria if elected president, insisting that four years would be sufficient to begin and implement fundamental reforms.
He promised not to govern through proxies or powerful individuals operating behind the scenes.
“I will be in charge and I will not run the government by proxy. I will be answerable to the people,” he said.
Obi also rejected the idea of seeking an additional term simply because four years was considered insufficient to transform Nigeria.
“I will not spend one extra day. Four years is enough to engender change and I did it as Governor of Anambra State,” he said.
He said his administration would focus on selecting clear priorities, appointing competent officials and ensuring effective teamwork.
Obi Criticises Tinubu Over Fuel Subsidy Savings
The NDC candidate also criticised the Tinubu administration over the use of funds saved from the removal of fuel subsidy.
Obi acknowledged that the previous subsidy regime was riddled with corruption but argued that the savings generated from its removal had not produced sufficient benefits for Nigerians.
He referred to government figures indicating that the removal of subsidy had generated about N15.8 trillion, which he rounded to N16 trillion.
“The subsidy regime in Nigeria was enmeshed with corruption and criminality. I have said clearly that I will remove subsidy and fight corruption and criminality,” Obi said.
He argued that the savings should have been directed towards productive sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education and industrial development.
Obi cited cancer treatment infrastructure as an example, saying more investment was needed to expand access to cancer centres across the country.
Promises Agricultural Investment in North
On the issue of subsidy restoration, Obi said he would not return to the old system but would instead provide targeted support to productive sectors.
He identified agriculture as a major economic asset in northern Nigeria and promised to invest heavily in the sector.
He also pledged to revive industries in northern commercial centres, improve healthcare and skills development, and create opportunities for young people.
Obi Promises Tougher Security Measures
On insecurity, Obi rejected the payment of ransom to kidnappers and bandits, saying the government must instead strengthen intelligence gathering, security personnel welfare and military operations.
He also promised to prioritise the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure rather than embarking on unnecessary new construction.
“We will not build new roads until we fix the existing ones,” he said.
Obi Will Accept 2027 Result If Election Is Credible
Obi maintained that he would accept defeat in 2027 if the election was free, fair and credible.
“I will concede defeat if the process is free, fair and credible,” he said.
He disclosed that his campaign organisation was developing an independent results-transmission system that would enable polling-unit results to be transmitted in real time to a citizen-led situation room.
Obi Rules Out Personal Negotiations With Atiku
On a possible alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Obi said any arrangement would have to involve the political parties rather than individual candidates.
Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election, denied rejecting any offer to serve as Atiku’s running mate in 2027.
“I don’t know where that was said. I wasn’t even in a position where that was being offered, and I refused,” he said.
He said discussions between the parties would be similar to the merger of two corporations, requiring broader negotiations rather than a decision by two individuals.
Obi to Retain Naira Float
Obi also said he would retain the floating exchange-rate policy introduced by the Tinubu administration if elected.
He said, however, that his administration would focus on increasing productivity and strengthening the economy so that the naira could become more valuable.
The Central Bank of Nigeria introduced the “willing buyer, willing seller” foreign exchange model in June 2023 as part of reforms aimed at unifying the country’s multiple foreign exchange markets.
Obi said his overall objective would be to build a productive economy capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty and improving living standards.
