By Oluwayanmife Ayobami
The Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential elections, Peter Obi, has revealed why he refused calls to step down and support his former principal, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party during the race for the presidency.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, two weeks after the Supreme Court affirmed the victory of APC candidate Bola Tinubu, Obi said he left the PDP and contested under the LP because his campaign was centered around the message of a “New Nigeria”, unlike other candidates.
Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019 when they both contested on the PDP platform, said he felt compelled to run independently after leaving the opposition party due to an internal crisis.
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We came out on a campaign for new Nigeria
He noted that while other candidates focused on politics as usual, his message of reform, youth inclusion, and economic transformation through investment in education, healthcare and infrastructure resonated widely with Nigerians, especially the youth.
Obi went on to win in 12 states, including FCT, making the party the strongest opposition force after coming in third in the national popular vote tally.
The former Anambra governor said he had no regrets about running independently of Atiku and other major candidates because his campaign was about promoting a new vision and agenda for Nigeria, not just winning power.
He specifically said,
“We don’t regret anything we did. We came out on a campaign for new Nigeria which no other person did.
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Things that Peter obi and Atiku can do after Supreme Court lost
After the Supreme Court upheld President Bola Tinubu’s election win, people are wondering what’s next for Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who were his main rivals.
The court’s decision dealt a blow to their ambitions, but there are still questions about whether they can continue to challenge Tinubu’s victory.
While it may seem like the end, political experts say that Nigerian politics is unpredictable, and there could be unexpected opportunities for Atiku and Obi to keep fighting through legal means. They could explore legal channels to address issues like procedural irregularities or specific aspects of the electoral process.
