The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticised Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over his continued claim that he won the 2023 presidential election despite saying he had no evidence to substantiate it.
In a statement issued on Friday, Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC campaign council, described Obi’s remarks during a recent BBC interview as a disregard for facts and truth.
During the interview, Obi, who contested the 2023 election on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), was asked whether he still maintained that he won after the courts dismissed his challenge to the results.
“Well, quite frankly, I don’t like going back to the past. I still say what I said,” Obi said.
When asked whether he had evidence to support his claim, the former Anambra State governor replied: “There is no evidence. Everything is not based on evidence. I won the election, and that is where I will end.”
Alake argued that a presidential candidate should be able to substantiate claims about an election rather than make assertions without evidence.
“For a candidate who placed a distant third in the presidential poll to persistently insist he won — without evidence and contrary to all official records — reflects a deep and troubling disconnection from reality and absolute disregard for facts and truth,” he said.
“This constant habit of exaggerating facts is unbecoming of a man who aspires to lead our great country.
“Where is Obi sourcing his facts? Could it be from his infamous adviser at Upper Iweka Junction or from one Obedient punching the laptop for the next post from California or Dallas?
“At the pain of restating the factually obvious, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the 2023 election decisively.
“There can be no doubt about it. The Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed his victory. The election tribunal and the country’s highest court affirmed it.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner with 8,794,726 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 6,984,520 votes. Obi finished third with 6,101,533 votes.
Obi challenged the results at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, alleging widespread irregularities and saying shortly after the election that he would prove his claim in court.
However, in September 2023, the tribunal dismissed his petition, ruling that he had failed to establish his allegations of electoral malpractice and other grounds for overturning the results.
The Supreme Court subsequently dismissed appeals filed by Obi and Atiku in October 2023, upholding Tinubu’s victory.
Alake cited the judicial decisions in criticising Obi’s continued claim. He also defended the Tinubu administration, saying it had pursued reforms aimed at stabilising the economy, expanding infrastructure, supporting businesses and young people, and improving education and healthcare. He added that the administration had created job opportunities.
The APC campaign council spokesperson further challenged Obi to honour an earlier pledge to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if it was established that his administration had left liabilities in Anambra State.
Obi served as governor of Anambra State from 2006 to 2014 before contesting the 2023 presidential election.
