Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, insisted on Thursday that he had won the election on Saturday and was prepared to show it.
He claimed that Bola Tinubu, the candidate for the All Progressives Congress, won the presidential election, which he called contentious and pre-planned.
Tinubu was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the next president.
After the 70-year-old received 8,794,726 votes to win the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, was declared the new president-elect.
At the International Collation Centre in Abuja in the wee hours of Wednesday, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of INEC, declared Tinubu the winner.
However, Obi stated that the election could not be deemed credible and that it did not meet the necessary requirements while addressing a global press conference on Thursday in Abuja.
The former governor of Anambra State insisted that Nigerians were denied their true choice, adding that he would seek justice in court and was prepared to contest the outcomes until he proved his point.
The election that we were just witnessing had been held, and the results had been announced exactly as planned. Contrary to what we were promised, it is a clear deviation from electoral rules and guidelines.
“This election did not meet the minimum requirement for an election that is free, fair, open, and credible. It will be remembered as one of Nigeria’s most contentious elections ever.
He stated, “Our pretended leaders whom they trusted have again robbed the good and hardworking people of Nigeria.”
Let me reassure the Nigerian people that we will investigate all peaceful and legal options to reclaim our mandate. Obi promised, “I will demonstrate to Nigerians that we won the election.”
The former governor stated that Nigeria needed to sanitize the recruitment process because, in his opinion, it is crucial that people go through it.
According to Obi, “the process through which people enter the office is far more fundamental and significant than what they do (in office) afterwards.”
“If you must answer your excellency, I believe that the way you get to your office must be excellent.
“In order to generate the appropriate confidence and moral authority to lead, we must now demand that we do the right thing. You are aware that when we act recklessly and purposefully in the manipulation of the rule of law and suppression of the people’s will, the structure of society begins and gradually deteriorates.
He stated that he had successfully challenged several election results and would be going to court in the hope of obtaining justice.
“I am challenging the procedure on this issue (the presidential election). For the sake of the nation’s future, I will challenge this lunacy.
The former governor stated, “The court exists for this, and they have asked me to go to court, and I will be going to court.”
He responded, “No one can put me under pressure for challenging the rascality,” when asked if he was under pressure.
“Please, be assured that this is not the end, but the beginning of a journey for the birth of a new Nigeria,” he stated.
“Datti and I remain unwaveringly committed to the endeavor of building a new Nigeria based on honesty, openness, fairness, justice, and equity.” All of the preceding begins with the procedure.
He continued, “We must traverse this darkness.” Criminality’s structure cannot be destroyed overnight.
We only need to demonstrate perseverance and commitment. Obi said, “I will lead from the front and work through this darkness until dawn.”