Claiming victory of 2023 election delusional – APC PCC tells Obi

By Jude Opara

The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a swipe at the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi for allegedly claiming he won the 2023 presidential election.

In a statement on Friday, spokesman of the PCC and Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake said Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party in 2023 has continued to demonstrate a troubling lack of character, candour, and dignity by saying he actually won the election.

Alake said such bogus claims could be excused for those he described as overzealous supporters and not a presidential candidate; “who is becoming a veteran of the race. Perhaps the master and his followers are two sides of the same rotten coin”.

He wondered why the former governor of Anambra state will claim victory for an election that held more than three years ago, even as he could not present any credible evidence to justify his claims.

“In a recent interview on the BBC, Obi stated: “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.”

“By Obi’s logic, it is acceptable to make outrageous claims without a shred of evidence or verisimilitude. For him, it is in order and acceptable to make allegations without substantiation or to act on impulse by airing unsubstantiated conjectures.

“This is deeply troubling. There is simply no end to Obi’s posturing and no end to his shenanigans and farce.

“For a candidate who placed a distant third in the presidential poll to persistently insist he won — without evidence and contrary to all official records — reflects a deep and troubling disconnection from reality and absolute disregard for facts and truth”.

The PCC further insisted that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the election and was duly declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“This constant habit of exaggerating facts is unbecoming of a man who aspires to lead our great country.

“At the pain of restating the factually obvious, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the 2023 election decisively. There can be no doubt about it. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed his victory. The election tribunal and the country’s highest court affirmed it.

“President Tinubu has continued to discharge his mandate, advancing key reforms that have stabilised the economy, expanded infrastructure, supported businesses and youth, upgraded education and healthcare, and created job opportunities.

“We again call on Peter Obi to act honourably and honour his earlier pledge to exit the 2027 presidential race if it is proven that his administration left behind liabilities in Anambra State—a fact now clearly established by the state’s financial records”, the statement concluded.