Trending 
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election, has claimed that he won the 2023 presidential election, despite official results showing otherwise.
In an interview with Rufai Oseni, the former Anambra State governor said he was the rightful winner of the 2023 poll but was not declared by the electoral commission.
“Do you know that in the last election I won? Forget about the proof; they didn’t declare me,” Obi said.
“I have contested elections in Nigeria as a presidential candidate and won; leave what’s declared because one day the story will be told.”
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party (LP), came third behind the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu, according to results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The former governor said he remained committed to running for president again.
“For now, I can tell you that I’m offering myself for the general election in Nigeria. One day, the process will recognise it,” he said.
Official results showed Tinubu won with 8,794,726 votes, followed by Atiku with 6,984,520 votes, while Obi secured 6,101,533 votes.
Obi and Atiku both challenged Tinubu’s victory in court. In October 2023, the Supreme Court dismissed their appeals, upholding the election result .
“The appeal lacks merit and it is accordingly dismissed,” the apex court held.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, Obi condemned the judgement, saying it contradicted “the overwhelming evidence of election rigging” and that the court had abandoned its responsibility as a court of law.
In a November 2023 press conference, Obi said the Supreme Court had “transferred a heavy moral burden from the courtrooms to our national conscience” and that “our young democracy is ultimately the main victim and casualty of the courtroom drama”.
He said at the time: “Datti and I have now exhausted all legal and constitutional remedies available to us. However, this end is only another beginning in our quest for the vindication of the hope of the common man for a better country.
“After all, sovereignty belongs to the people! If only for historical purposes, it behooves us to place our disagreement with and deep reservations about this judgment on public record.”
Obi was recently endorsed by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election and has chosen former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate.
Obi won 11 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in the 2023 election, including Lagos State, where he defeated Tinubu. He has not commented on whether he would provide new evidence to substantiate his claim to have won the 2023 poll.
INEC has not responded to Obi’s latest assertion.
