A former Nigerian transportation minister has reignited debate over the 2023 presidential election by alleging that opposition candidate Peter Obi, of the Labour Party, secured victory in the strategic oil-producing state of Rivers. Rotimi Amaechi, a prominent political figure and former governor of Rivers State, made the assertion during a public discussion on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, though he stopped short of providing evidence to explain how official results might have been altered.
“I can agree to some extent that Obi won Rivers State,” Amaechi stated during the virtual forum. “But I don’t know how the results were changed.” His remarks come 16 months after Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the nationwide winner. In Rivers, INEC’s final tally showed Tinubu’s APC securing 231,591 votes, followed by Obi’s Labour Party with 175,071 votes, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in third place with 88,468 votes.
Amaechi’s comments add fresh scrutiny to an election already marred by widespread allegations of irregularities, particularly in Rivers, a political battleground with significant influence over Nigeria’s economic landscape. While he did not elaborate on specific mechanisms behind the alleged discrepancies, his acknowledgment aligns with claims by Obi’s supporters, who have consistently rejected the official outcomes.
The 2023 presidential race marked a historic shift in Nigeria’s political dynamics, with Obi’s Labour Party—a previously lesser-known entity—emerging as a formidable third force, particularly in urban centers and southern regions. Rivers, Nigeria’s wealthiest state due to its oil reserves, has long been a stronghold for the PDP, making its apparent swing to the Labour Party a notable disruption.
INEC has repeatedly defended the integrity of the election, citing adherence to legal and procedural standards. Tinubu’s victory was upheld by Nigeria’s Supreme Court in October 2023 after months of legal challenges. However, public skepticism persists, fueled in part by technical glitches in INEC’s voter accreditation system and delayed result uploads on election day.
As a former two-term governor of Rivers State and a founding member of the APC, Amaechi’s stance carries symbolic weight, though his relationship with the party has soured in recent years. His latest remarks reflect deepening fractures within Nigerian politics, where electoral transparency remains a polarizing issue. Analysts suggest the renewed focus on Rivers State could amplify calls for electoral reforms ahead of future polls.
