The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday said he is only challenging the process that led to the declarations of Bola Tinubu, the All Progressive Congress ( APC) candidate as the President-elect in the February 25 Presidential election.
Peter Obi said this in tweet Monday evening.
Following my response to a question while appearing on Arise TV earlier today, I want to state categorically that at the Presidential Elections Tribunal(PET), I am challenging the INEC electoral process that led to the declaration of Tinubu as president-elect as well as the
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) March 13, 2023
The second runner-up in the February 25, presidential election had also mentioned the point while responding to question when he appeared on the Arise Television breakfast show, on Monday, noted that he has no ill feelings against the APC Presidential candidate.
During the program, Obi was emphatic on his condemnation of the process, under which the election was conducted.
The LP candidate noted that it is quite clear, “that a compromised and incompetent process, cannot produce a legitimate or acceptable outcome.
Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba- Ahmed had since the INEC declarations, rejected the process and conclusions arrived by INEC, with respect to the February 25 Presidential election, in totality.
Read also: ‘Obidients’ will work with other parties that have character, competence, says Obi
The former Anambra State governor stated that the Labour Party remains convinced that the election “was carried out with disregard for law and due process, and with overbearing evidence of malfunctions, discrepancies, interference, intimidation, thuggery, alterations and criminality”.
He added that his support for Labour Party governorship and National Assembly candidates for next Saturday’s election is total and 100%.
Obi said, emphatically, that all Labour Candidates who got the ticket through the normal process enjoy his total commitment and support and he is urging the people to vote for them on Saturday.
He mentioned in particular states like Enugu (Hon. Chijioke Edeoga), Lagos (Gbadebo Patrick Rhodes-Vivour ), Abia Alex Otti, Delta (Deacon Ken Pela), Kaduna, (Johnathan Asake) Plateau (Dr. Sunday Patrick Dakum) among others whom he is urging Obidients in these states to give them maximum support on Saturday because with them a foundation for a new Nigeria of our dream will be realized.
The LP flag bearer also disclosed that in some states where Labour Party has no flag bearer, the Obidient should identify and vote for competent persons in other parties who have character and capacity and who share in the aspiration of a new Nigeria.
He said that there are still some Nigerians in other political parties who believe in the Obidient aspirations, pointing out that such people should be fished where we have no candidate and vote for them.
Obi, while also reacting to the position of some Nigerians that the outcome of the February 25, 2023, Presidential election, should be seen and accepted as the wish of God, said that the problem of Nigeria is accepting what is wrong and unacceptable as God’s wish for the country.
He informed Nigerians not to accept bad things in the name of God, adding that “God doesn’t wish bad things for people and it’s these things that the Obidient Movement is trying to change.
“The problem of Nigeria is accepting what is unacceptable. That’s not God’s wish,” he said. “God’s wish is when you do the right thing. Is it God’s wish that we remain poor as a country despite his abundant blessings on us?”
He said that Nigeria has remained decadent in a continuous state of moral decline because they keep accepting what is wrong and dragging God into it, but noted that the Obidient Movement is in the system to change it and create a new egalitarian society.
The former Anambra state Governor said it’s a saddening fact that after 63 years as a nation, Nigeria is yet unable to conduct a good election, describing the February 25 Presidential election as the worst in Nigeria’s history considering that the Electoral Law of 2022 was enacted to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
Obi said that while he is pursuing his mandate through legal and peaceful means, it’s disheartening that rule of law is being treated with levity by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC which is a public institution maintained by taxpayer’s money.
He reiterated that what he is challenging is the process and he does not hope to back out until the right thing is done because doing and accepting the wrong thing is what has kept us down as a nation.
On some insinuations on him from some characters speaking for their principals, Obi said since they were not on the ballot he would prefer to speak when those he contested with speak, but said that the 97 percent votes he got in Anambra state shouldn’t disturb anybody because he was expecting 100% votes because the people know him and believe in him. Noting further that he has been truthful to them. Ditto for the South East and other states where he received the lion’s share of the votes cast because they believe and trust in him.
“They forgot that I got over 95% in Anambra state in 2019 when I was a running mate, in 2023 I was the main candidate, I am even surprised that I did not get 100%”
On the claim of some persons that he took away PDP votes and helped Bola Tinubu to win, Obi said he was not contesting to help anybody but to win and by records, Nigerians made that happen despite the ‘abracadabra’ by the INEC.
On the ethnic tension in Lagos State over his victory on the February 25 poll ahead of the governorship election, Obi said it’s not ethnic but some mischievous persons are trying to create such an impression, pointing out that many more non-Igbos and Yorubas who share the aspiration for new Nigeria voted for him.
He explained that even if Igbos voted for him, this is not the first time they are voting for people, they had voted massively like this for Olusegun Obasanjo even when he lost an election in his region and they also gave Jonathan more votes than South-South states and all these brouhahas did not happen.
Also speaking on the possibilities of partnership with the PDP, Obi said that there is nothing like that but that “we are challenging a process that is wrong created by INEC to serve a particular purpose”.
