The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, and his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, counterpart, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, rejected the outcome of last Saturday’s presidential poll and vowed to challenge it in court.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had on Wednesday returned Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as winner and president-elect.
While Obi said he won the election and would explore all legal and peaceful means to prove it in court, Atiku concurred, saying “the processes and outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections of last Saturday were grossly flawed in every material particular and as such, must be challenged.”

The duo spoke in their first press conferences after the elections.

In a quick response, Tinubu, who had earlier in his victory speech extended a hand of fellowship to his challengers at the poll, said he would meet them in court to defend his mandate.

They spoke as the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, attacked Obi for faulting the outcome of the election that returned Tinubu as the winner; and the Chief Spokesperson of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Festus Keyamo, asked the LP candidate to desist from engaging in “crass grandstanding.”

Also, the APC PCC advised Atiku to stop being delusional over his presidential ambition.

We won this election, we’ll prove it in court – Peter Obi


Obi, who spoke at a briefing in Abuja, enjoined his supporters, especially party members, not to despair because he and his running mate, Dr Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, had taken up the challenge posed by President Muhammadu Buhari and President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to mount a legal challenge if they were convinced the electoral process was faulty.

He said: “We are not yet in court, they asked me to go to court, and I’m going to court. Let me reiterate and assure my good people of Nigeria that we will follow all available legal and peaceful procedures to reclaim our mandate.”

He noted that his respect for his two other opponents had not waned and that as such if any of them called him he would answer.

Obi, however, insisted that on the issue of last Saturday’s presidential elections, he remained committed and determined not to let down Nigerians who invested their time and votes in his candidature.

Describing his opponents, Atiku Abubakar and Ahmed Tinubu of the PDP and the APC respectively, as his fathers, he said: I respect them but on this issue (elections), I’m challenging the process. I have no problem making calls, if they call me I will go.”


Obi paid glowing tributes to Nigerians who trooped out on February 25, 2023, en-masse to participate in what was promised and expected to be a free, fair and transparent presidential and National Assembly elections.

While noting that the decision to challenge the process was hinged on the fact that it was flawed in many respects, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, said further: “Let me also appreciate and thank all Nigerians that participated in our last election, especially those who believed and tirelessly worked for a new Nigeria and voted for us.

“My profound thanks go to the youths, ‘Obidients’ and support groups for your commitment and resilience for a better Nigeria. You truly showed that you can take back your country!

“We continue to pray for the repose of the souls of all Nigerians killed during the campaigns and for those that were violently attacked, we pray for their quick recovery.

“We reiterate our total condemnation of such attacks and continue to demand that security agencies stop further attacks and bring perpetrators to book.


“The commitment and resilience of Nigerians, even in the face of unwarranted and barbaric attacks, is a testimony that a new Nigeria is, indeed, possible.

“The Lady, Jennifer Efidi, who was stabbed but insisted on exercising her right to vote and, indeed, all Nigerians who voted during the election are the shining stars leading us to a new Nigeria.

“The election has been conducted and results announced as programmed. It is a clear deviation from the electoral rules and guidelines as we were promised and did not meet the minimum criteria of a free, transparent, credible and fair election devoid of voter intimidation and suppression, and late commencement of voting in some specific states.

“This will probably go down as one of the most controversial elections ever conducted in Nigeria. The good and hardworking people of Nigeria have again been robbed by the institutions and leaders whom we trusted.

“However, let me humbly and most respectfully appeal to all Nigerians to remain peaceful, law-abiding and conduct themselves in a most responsible manner. Please, be assured that for Datti and I, and, indeed, for all of us, this is not the end, but the beginning of the journey to birth a New Nigeria.


“Datti Baba-Ahmed and I remain absolutely undaunted and deeply committed to this project of a new Nigeria that will be built on honesty, transparency, fairness, justice and equity. ‘’All of these start with the process, the process through which people are elected to office is as important (if not more important) than what they do thereafter with the office and authority.

“If we seek to be called Your Excellency, then the process through which we are elected should also be excellent or sufficiently credible to generate the required confidence and moral authority to govern and lead.

“As you all know, the destruction of a society can be a gradual or sudden process through acts such as deliberate refusal to obey the rule of law and via the suppression of the will of the people.

“I urge you all to continue with your campaigns and troops out on Saturday, March 11, 2023, to vote massively again for Labour Party (Mama, Papa and Pikin) in the governorship and State Assembly elections. Please do not despair at a time we can still achieve massive victories in the forthcoming elections on March 11, 2023.”

Atiku, PDP challenge Tinubu’s victory


Speaking in like manner at another press conference, Atiku rejected the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the poll and described the process leading up to the declaration of Tinubu as winner and President-elect by the INEC as flawed.

He explained that he was addressing Nigerians with a heart full of sadness because what transpired under the current INEC leadership fell short of the minimum standard of elections anywhere in the world.

Atiku went down memory lane to trace Nigeria’s democratic journey from the battle to end military dictatorships to the birth of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

He words: “I have in the last three decades devoted my life to the battle to birth and deepen democracy in our country.

“It was a battle that started during the military era. It was a struggle that nearly cost me my life and that of my son, Adamu, in Kaduna. I survived the assassination only by the mercies and grace of God.


“Following that attack, I was forced into exile. But that attack claimed the precious lives of some police officers.

“That was not all: my businesses were nearly crippled and my signature business was eventually appropriated by the maximum ruler of that era.

“My commitment to enthroning democracy ensured that I joined forces with other compatriots. As a leader of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, we fought and won the 1993 presidential election, which was acclaimed as the fairest and freest election in our history.

“Sadly, Chief MKO Abiola, who embodied that hope for the birth of a new Nigeria, paid the ultimate price

“Our fight to enthrone democracy continued. Indeed, the motivating factor for the birth of the Peoples Democratic Party was to force the exit of the military from the government and their permanent return to the military barracks.


“Following the exit of the military and the advent of democratic rule in 1999, I did not rest on my oars. I deployed the same level of commitment to advance and deepen our democracy.

“I did this because our democracy was bought at a huge price of human lives. My mentor and true Nigerian hero, who this venue for which we are gathered this evening is named for, was one of those who paid the ultimate price in that battle. So, also was Chief Alfred Rewane, Chief MKO Abiola and his dear wife, Mrs Kudirat Abiola.

“It was also for this reason that I sacrificed my political aspiration and fought against the actualisation of Third Term. Whether during the military or civilian era, I have, no matter how inconvenient, pitched my tent with the people against dictators. During the military regime, it nearly cost me my life and the near decimation of my businesses.

“In the civilian administration, it had serious adverse implications on my political life. But I have remained undaunted because I was, and still convinced, that the only reason why I am in politics is to work in tandem with other compatriots in the advancement of the wellbeing of the people.”

In addition, he said: “The 2023 presidential election presented our nation and its people the greatest opportunity for a reset. We had everything going for us: a legal framework in the 2022 Electoral Act and the BVAS technology. The enthusiasm of Nigerians to turn out in large numbers was an added bonus.


“However, the dreams and aspirations of Nigerians who braced all the challenges to go and cast their votes on Saturday, February 25, 2023, were shattered by the conduct of the INEC, which failed to live up to expectations.

“The weekend election was neither free nor fair. Preliminary assessments indicate that it is the worst conducted elections since the return to democratic rule.

“The manipulation and fraud that attended this election were unprecedented in the history of our nation. I can still not understand why the electoral umpire was in such a hurry to conclude the collation and announcement of the result, given the number of complaints of irregularities of bypassing of the BVAS, failure of uploading to the IReV, and unprecedented cancellations and disenfranchisement of millions of voters in breach of the Electoral Act and the commission’s own guidelines. It was indeed a rape of democracy.

Polls grossly flawed

“Having consulted with leaders of our party and Nigerians from different walks of life, I have come to the conclusion that the processes and outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections of last Saturday were grossly flawed in every material particular, and as such must be challenged.


“This has been attested to by both local and international observers. I want to believe that this was not the legacy that President Muhammadu Buhari had promised.

“For President Buhari, it is not too late to make amends for the good of our country and the future generations and indeed to assure his legacy.

“This battle to right the wrongs of Saturday is not about me. It is a continuation of my battles to deepen democracy and for a better life for our people. It is about the future of Nigerian youths.

“I know that Nigerians, especially the youth, are traumatised by the developments, but I want to urge them to conduct themselves peacefully.

“As I have done over the years, I assure you that I will commit the rest of my life to ensure that true democracy, which affirms the supremacy of your votes and your will, will take firm footing and guarantee a stable, prosperous and peaceful Nigeria.


“This is more so as Nigeria represents the hope of Africa and the Black World.

“It is my hope that the judiciary will redeem itself this time around and rise to society’s expectation as the last hope. In the end, who wins is not as important as the credibility of our elections and electoral processes.

“I call on all men and women of goodwill to join hands with us in the vanguard to defend our constitution from the brigandage of anti-democratic forces.

“Finally I urge Nigerians to remain vigilant and resolute. You have the constitutionally guaranteed right of freedom to choose your leaders. We will not sit idly by and watch your rights taken from you.”

We’ll meet in court— Tinubu

Make Una enter court na, we don tire to dey hear one one talk everyday.

ATIKU Dubai president I won Nigeria presidential election.
OBI false statistic president I won Nigeria presidential election
KWANKWASO Mr PhD president I won Nigeria presidential election.
Confused set of losers