- By TopNews
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, has challenged Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, to provide evidence for his repeated claim that he won the poll.
The challenge followed Obi’s recent interview with the BBC, during which he maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election despite acknowledging that he had no evidence to substantiate the claim.
During the interview, Obi reportedly said: “I won the last election. There’s no evidence, but I won the election. Everything is not based on evidence.”
The statement prompted a reaction from Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, who criticised Obi’s remarks and questioned the basis of his assertion.
Alake described the statement as a “troubling display of delusion” and accused the former Anambra State governor of disregarding facts and the democratic process.
“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,” Alake said.
The APC spokesman challenged Obi to present verifiable records to support his position rather than continue making claims that, according to the council, contradict the official election results.
Alake also questioned the source of Obi’s claim, asking: “Where is Obi sourcing his facts? Could it be from his infamous adviser at Upper Iweka Junction or from one Obedient punching the laptop for the next post from California or Dallas?”
The APC campaign council maintained that Tinubu’s victory in the February 2023 presidential election had been settled legally and constitutionally. It pointed to the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and subsequent court decisions upholding the result.
Obi had challenged the election outcome in court, alleging irregularities in the electoral process and seeking to overturn Tinubu’s victory. However, the Presidential Election Petition Court and the Supreme Court upheld the declared result.
The campaign council also called on Obi to honour an alleged previous pledge to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if financial liabilities were established against his administration in Anambra State. Alake claimed that official financial records had already established such liabilities and urged Obi to act in accordance with his earlier statement.
The council further maintained that Tinubu remained focused on implementing his administration’s policies in areas including the economy, education and infrastructure.
The exchange has renewed political debate over the 2023 presidential election as political figures begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election. Tinubu’s camp has insisted that the election outcome is settled, while Obi’s latest remarks have again drawn attention to his continued position on the poll.
