Why Do Obi’s Rivals Fear A Third-Place Candidate? – Utomi

Political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has wondered why the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, remains the target of heavy criticism from rival camps, even though he finished third in the 2023 election.

Naija News reports that Utomi made the remark on Saturday in a post on 𝕏, following a series of attacks on Obi by leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

“There is no convincing explanation for why a candidate who finished third in the 2023 presidential election attracts this level of hostility from all directions,” Utomi wrote.

He added that the intensity of the attacks raised questions, suggesting that Nigerians may one day understand “what really happened in 2023.”

The professor’s post came a day after President Bola Tinubu took a swipe at Obi during the APC campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The President accused Obi of failing to tackle the erosion menace in Anambra when he was governor.

“He ran away from erosion in Anambra State. He could not confront erosion,” Tinubu said, adding that he “confronted the Atlantic Ocean” and “tamed it” as governor of Lagos.

At the same rally, Vice-President Kashim Shettima said Obi had lost public goodwill because of what he called “lies and bogus statistics.”

“Peter Obi has clearly messed up and squandered away his goodwill; he no longer excites when he speaks these days. He draws suspicions; it’s too bad for him,” he said.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, in a television interview on Thursday, said the NDC candidate had failed to present a clear alternative to the APC’s policies, including on security.

“I’ve always said that Peter Obi is a trader; the logic of a trader is short-term turnover. A statesman that Tinubu represents thinks of the next generation,” he said.

Official results from the Independent National Electoral Commission show that Obi, then of the Labour Party, scored 6,101,533 votes in the 2023 presidential election.

He trailed Tinubu, who polled 8,794,726 votes, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 6,984,520 votes.