‘You Know I Won That Election, It Was Rigged’ – Peter Obi

The presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said the 2027 general election will be a contest between Nigerians and the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

NOP.NG reports that Obi also restated his claim that he won the 2023 presidential election but was denied victory through electoral manipulation.

The former Anambra State governor made the remarks in a video circulating online, where he argued that the country’s major challenge was the absence of effective leadership.

Obi maintained that the outcome of the last presidential election did not reflect Nigerians’ choice.

“You know that I won that election and it was rigged, but that is not a problem,” he said.

He added that the next election would give Nigerians another opportunity to determine the direction of the country.

“It’s my belief that the next election is between Nigerians and the government in office because the public has had enough and they are determined that things have to change,” Obi said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner of the 2023 presidential election, while Obi’s legal challenge against the result was unsuccessful.

The NDC candidate argued that sacrifices made by Nigerians had failed to produce the expected improvement in their living conditions.

“We have sacrificed everything, and it’s not working. It’s time to understand that one thing is missing, which is leadership,” he said.

Obi expressed confidence that voters had drawn lessons from previous elections and would find a way to make their choices count in 2027.

“Nigerians will decide, so they will be the ones to say what is happening, and I believe that they have learnt their lessons and they will find a way,” he added.

The former governor said his political ambition was driven by a desire to see Nigeria function effectively rather than a personal desperation to occupy the presidency.

“For me, the desperation is to see Nigeria work. I’m not desperate to be president, but I want to create a society where the children of Nigerians will have hope,” Obi said.

He said his vision was to build a country where opportunities were not restricted by family background, wealth or political connections.

“A child of a nobody can be anybody without anything. So, for me, it’s important, and we must make it work because we have had enough,” he added.