March 02, (THEWILL) – Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, on Thursday, claimed that his party won the February 25 presidential polls.
Making his first public appearance since the February 25 elections, Obi said he will approach the Court to reclaim his mandate.
THEWILL reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday morning, declared Tinubu the winner of the presidential election.
Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, declared that Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes to beat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 6,984,520, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), who secured 6,101,533 votes.
But addressing a press conference in Abuja, on Thursday, Obi said the exercise failed to meet the minimum standard of a free and fair election
“Nigerians, especially the youths, believed in and worked tirelessly for a new Nigeria. Gratitude to the Obidients, those who believed a new Nigeria is possible and I say to them, a new Nigeria is possible and we will work for that new Nigeria that is possible.
“The commitment and silence of Nigerians even in the face of unwarranted panic attacks is a testimony that a new Nigeria is indeed possible. Look at people like lady Jennifer, who was stabbed and still went on to vote, then that gives me the courage to believe that a new Nigeria is indeed possible.
“They asked us to go the court, remember I’m an ‘Obedient’, I will go to where they ask us to go,” he noted
Peter Obi lamented that the number of voters in the 2023 election reduced sharply by 20% despite the increase in the number of registered voters and persons, who collected their PVC in 2023.
“The reason for the reduction is due to manipulation and removal of votes here and there…We have chosen that we will challenge this rascality for the future of this country, Nigeria can’t conduct credible elections after 63 years of independence, it’s something we should all reflect on.
“We are not in an alliance, we’re discussing and in partnership with other people and any other Nigerian, who feels hurt as we do,” he added.
Obi, however, broke down in tears as he recalled the story of a jobless female Nigerian graduate, who could not secure a job or purchase a N75,000 oven to start a baking business.
Overtaken by emotions, Obi lamented that the lady’s situation is a typical example of what is happening to many Nigerians.
He urged all members of the Labour Party and supporters in the country to troop out en masse and vote for the party’s candidates in the forthcoming March 11 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections nationwide.
