Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has reiterated his claim that he won the poll, alleging that former INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, worked against him despite publicly assuring the international community of a credible process.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Obi said Nigerians took INEC at its word in 2023, believing Yakubu’s assurances while the commission was allegedly working for his political opponents. “In 2023 we took things for granted, we believed the INEC… when he was actually working for the opposite,” he said.
When asked if he had proof of his allegation, Obi responded, “Yes, of course,” but failed to provide any documentation, instead insisting that “everybody knows, even him (Yakubu) knows”. He added that he had no intention of confronting Yakubu personally, stating, “I don’t want to, that is past”.
Obi also maintained that he won the election despite finishing third in the official results behind Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar. “Yes, I won the election. Forget about the margins,” he said, dismissing the official vote difference.
The 2023 election was officially won by Tinubu, and Obi’s legal challenge at the Presidential Election Petition Court was unsuccessful. His latest comments come amid positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.