TD The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticised Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over his assertion that he won the 2023 presidential election.
This was contained in a press statement signed by Dele Alake, spokesman for the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
The Council accused him of making claims without supporting evidence, describing Obi’s statement as a “troubling display of delusion”.
It also questioned his continued insistence that he won the election despite the official results declaring President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the winner.
The ruling party’s campaign team faulted Obi’s comments during a recent interview with the BBC.
During the interview, he reportedly maintained that he won the election while acknowledging that he had no evidence to support the claim.
“I don’t like going back to the past. I won the last election. There’s no evidence, but I won the election.
“Everything is not based on evidence,” Obi was quoted as saying.
APC Accuses Obi of Making Unsubstantiated Claims
Reacting to the remarks, the APC Presidential Campaign Council accused the former Anambra State governor of lacking candour and disregarding facts.
The council argued that a presidential aspirant should be guided by verifiable evidence rather than personal conviction.
It described Obi’s comments as unacceptable for someone seeking to lead Nigeria.
It further criticised what it characterised as Obi’s persistent insistence that he won the 2023 presidential election, despite the official results and subsequent court decisions affirming Tinubu’s victory.
According to the statement, Obi finished third in the election, behind Tinubu and the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The APC campaign council maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Tinubu the winner.
It also maintained that the election tribunal and Supreme Court upheld the outcome.
APC Defends Tinubu’s Mandate
The council reaffirmed its position that Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election, insisting that the result was established through the country’s electoral and judicial processes.
It also defended the president’s performance in office.
It further claimed that his administration had pursued reforms aimed at:
- stabilising the economy,
- expanding infrastructure,
- supporting businesses and young people,
- improving education and healthcare, and,
- creating employment opportunities.
The statement did not provide specific data to substantiate these claims about the administration’s achievements.
APC Challenges Obi Over Anambra State Liabilities
Beyond the dispute over the 2023 election, the APC Presidential Campaign Council challenged Obi to honour an earlier pledge.
Obi had pledged to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if it was established that his administration left liabilities in Anambra State.
The council alleged that the state’s financial records had now established the existence of such liabilities.
However, the statement did not identify the specific liabilities, provide figures, or cite the financial documents on which the allegation was based.
Meanwhile, multiple evidence published by This Dawn News have shown that Peter Obi left no liabilities.
Political Tensions Ahead of 2027 Election
The exchange underscores the continuing political rivalry between the APC and Obi as political actors position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi, who contested the 2023 election on the Labour Party platform, has remained a prominent opposition figure.
His supporters have continued to question aspects of the election.
In the meantime, the APC maintains that Tinubu’s victory was conclusively affirmed by the relevant institutions.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council’s statement represents the ruling party’s response to Obi’s latest remarks.
The allegations and characterisations in the statement should be distinguished from independently established facts.
