Peter Obi speaks at Chatham House, where the Labour Party has faced criticism from the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council. The APC’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Dele Alake, claimed that Obi’s reliance on religion and ethnicity during the recent election positions him as Nigeria’s “most dangerous and divisive politician.” This statement was made during a press conference in Abuja, where Alake addressed allegations of rigging and collusion with the electoral body. The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was declared the winner of the closely contested presidential election, having received 8,794,726 votes, significantly outpacing Obi and his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes, respectively. Both Atiku and Obi have contested the results, alleging violence and widespread rigging, and are now seeking legal redress.
Alake criticized Obi’s attempts to appeal to the court, expressing disbelief that a politician with such a divisive reputation could exploit the hopes of Nigerian youth searching for a leader. He stated, “For Obi, he would go down as Nigeria’s most dangerous and divisive politician. He elevated his well-known clannish mentality to a most unfortunate height by openly anchoring his campaign on religion and ethnicity.” Alake accused Obi of manipulating the emotions of young people, presenting himself as a savior despite lacking a significant legacy from his tenure as governor. He noted that many youths idolized Obi without accepting any scrutiny of his leadership, which he argued contributed to the Labour Party’s misguided belief that they could win the presidency.
Alake further questioned the Labour Party’s ability to compete with larger political parties like the APC and PDP, pointing out that they failed to fill over 40,000 polling booth agent positions. He expressed skepticism about the evidence of rigging that the Labour Party could present in court, given their inability to monitor a substantial portion of the election venues. While he acknowledged Obi and Atiku’s decision to pursue their grievances in court, Alake remarked that it would be a miracle if they could overturn the election results. He urged both parties to approach the judicial process with decorum and to encourage their supporters to respect the rule of law.
In response, Yunusa Tanko, the Chief Spokesman for the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, characterized the APC’s ongoing attacks on Obi as a desperate attempt to mask their fears. He asserted that many supporters of the President-elect are aware that he did not legitimately win the election and that this will soon be revealed in court. Tanko stated, “When the APC said our principal is dangerous, he meant somebody they are already scared of. They have never faced someone like him who gave them a serious run for their money.” He accused the APC of employing individuals to manipulate election results and expressed confidence that the truth would emerge in the judicial process.
Tanko further claimed that those who undermined the will of the people and obstructed voting would ultimately face consequences. He described the APC’s statements as the actions of a “drowning man” whose deceit has been exposed. Despite the challenges, he emphasized that the Labour Party remains committed to rescuing Nigeria and restoring it to a path of democracy, while holding those responsible for oppression accountable.
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