A leading presidential aspirant and chieftain of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, has reiterated his claim that he won the 2023 presidential election, despite the official results announced by the electoral umpire.
Speaking on the Naija Unfiltered podcast on Saturday, Obi maintained that the outcome declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not reflect what he described as the true will of the electorate.
“I can show you today, as far as I’m concerned, I have run election for the office of the President of Nigeria and won. But the system decided otherwise and they know it,” he said.
The former Anambra governor repeated the assertion for emphasis, insisting that his campaign secured victory even though the official declaration indicated otherwise.
Obi’s remarks draw renewed attention to his strong showing in the 2023 election, where his campaign gained remarkable momentum, particularly among young Nigerians.
His candidacy sparked a wave of grassroots mobilisation, widely referred to as the ‘OBIdient Movement’, driven largely by first-time voters, urban youths, and citizens seeking an alternative to the traditional two-party dominance.
His rallies attracted significant crowds across major cities, and his message on economic reform, accountability, and governance resonated strongly with a demographic eager for change.
The election itself was closely contested, with Obi emerging as a major third-force candidate who disrupted the long-standing dominance of the two leading parties.
Obi’s performance in key urban centres and among educated voters underscored a shifting political landscape, even though Bola Ahmed Tinubu was ultimately declared winner by INEC.
As of the time of filing this report, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) have yet to react to Obi’s latest claim.
