The Labour Party (LP) flagbearer, Peter Obi, has said he did not lose last Saturday’s presidential election.
He said this while addressing a World Press Conference in Abuja on Thursday.
Recall that Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu announced the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the president-elect on Wednesday.
Yakubu, who was the Chief Returning Officer for the presidential election, said Tinubu secured 8,794,726 votes to emerge the winner.
Second-placed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 6,984,520 votes and third-placed Obi of Labour Party got 6,101,533 votes.
Speaking during the press conference, Obi said that what INEC declared as result was not a true reflection of what transpired at the polls, noting that Nigerians were ‘robbed’.
He said available evidence indicated that he won the election and he would pursue justice through the courts until he is vindicated.
“The election that we just witnessed had been conducted and the results announced as programmed. It is a clear deviation from electoral rules and guidelines contrary to what we were promised.
“This election did not meet the minimum standard expected of a free, fair, transparent and credible election. It will go down as one of the most controversial elections ever conducted in Nigeria.
“The good and hardworking people of Nigeria have again been robbed by our supposed leaders whom they trusted,” Obi said.
“Let me reassure the good people of Nigeria that we will explore all legal and peaceful options to reclaim our mandate. We won the election and I will prove it to Nigerians,” the LP candidate stated.
Obi said it was important that leaders assume leadership roles through a transparent and credible process.
“The process through which people come into the office is far more fundamental, more important than what they do (in office) thereafter.
“It is my belief that if you must answer your excellency, the process through which you arrive at to office must be excellent.
“We must now require that we do the right thing in order to generate the right confidence and moral authority to lead. As you know, the structure of society begins and gradually retrogresses when we act rascally and deliberately in the manipulation of rule of law and suppression of the will of the people,” he said.
The former Anambra governor recalled that he had challenged several election results in the past and emerged victorious and so would be approaching the court with the firm belief of getting justice.
“On this issue (presidential poll) I am challenging the process. I will challenge this rascality for the future of the country.
“The court exists for this and they have asked me to go to court and I will be going to court,” he said.
Obi emphasised that he was not under any form of pressure.
“Please, be assured that this is not the end but the beginning of a journey for the birth of a new Nigeria.
“Datti and I remain absolutely undaunted and deeply committed to the project of a new Nigeria that will be built on honesty, transparency, fairness, justice, and equity. All the above starts with the process,” he noted.