‘He Should Go And Prepare For Another Defeat’ – APC Tackles Peter Obi Over Winning 2023 Election Claim

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his claim that he won the 2023 presidential election, insisting he should prepare for another defeat in the 2027 poll.

Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the Labour Party (LP) platform, made the claim during an interview on Arise News.

He also criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu over its management of the savings from the removal of fuel subsidy, which he estimated at ₦16 trillion.

Obi described the government’s fiscal management as reckless, arguing that Nigerians had yet to feel the impact of the alleged savings amid economic hardship, infrastructural deficits and insecurity.

Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner of the 2023 presidential election, followed by Atiku Abubakar and Obi, the former Anambra State governor maintained that the outcome did not reflect what happened at the polls.

Asked whether he believed he won the election, Obi said, “I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election.

“Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened.”

Obi also outlined what he described as a new governance blueprint aimed at addressing Nigeria’s economic challenges, infrastructure deficit and insecurity.

Reacting to Obi’s claim, the APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, dismissed the assertion, questioning how the NDC candidate could claim victory when INEC officially declared another candidate winner.

Yilwatda spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki.

“How can he say that he won the 2023 poll? How did he win it? Where is the result?” Tooki asked.

He argued that Obi lacked agents in several states, particularly in the northern part of the country, and questioned why INEC did not declare him the winner.

“He had no agents in many states of the North. Why didn’t the INEC declare him as winner? He should go and prepare for another imminent loss in 2027,” Tooki stated.

The APC also defended the Tinubu administration’s handling of the savings reportedly generated from the removal of fuel subsidy.

Obi had questioned what had become of the ₦16 trillion, arguing that Nigerians were yet to see sufficient evidence of its impact.

Responding, Tooki challenged Obi to assess developments in federal allocations to state governments and other government interventions.

“He should ask state governors what they were getting as federal allocation before President Tinubu came and what they are getting now,” he said.

Tooki also pointed to the absence of fuel queues and the payment of education loans as examples of government interventions.

“He should check the last time we had fuel queues in Nigeria. When was the last time we had a strike? He should check if students in tertiary institutions are not receiving their NELFUND loans,” he added.

The APC aide then questioned what Obi expected the government to do with the money.

“Does he want the ₦16 trillion to be transported to his bedroom?” Tooki asked.