‘What’s The Difference Between Nigerian Politicians And Armed Robbers?’ — Obi Condemns ‘Worst Election’

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has questioned the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the conduct of the presidential election likening the exercise to armed robbery.

Obi spoke on Arise TV on Monday.

The former Anambra State Governor was announced as coming third during the presidential election on Saturday 25.

Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was declared the winner while Atiku Abubakar was declared by the INEC as the first runner-up.

Both the Labour Party and the PDP have rejected the outcome of the election especially as the INEC failed to use its guidelines and electoral act 2022 as amended to conduct the election.

The guidelines and act provided that results from the polling units must be captured and uploaded directly from the polling units.

They are challenging the outcome of the exercise in court.

The Labour Party candidate responded to INEC’s alleged role, saying, “I’m not challenging who INEC declared as winner, I’m challenging the process.”

He said it’s necessary to challenge the process that’s been considered unlawful, noting that, “unless we do that, we can’t stop the rascality,” in governance.

“If you look at the last election, it’s probably the worst election, considering the 2022 electoral law which was meant to improve our overall election process and the continued and consistent promises of the chairman of INEC that this is going to be the best election in Nigeria. In all the editorials in international newspapers from Financial Times, The Economist, Wall Street Journal and even Chatham house where the INEC chairman was there, they have questioned the rating of the country,” Yakubu said.

Asked if he will accept the election results as God’s will, Obi said, “what do you tell the young ones? That it is God’s wish that you steal? That it is God’s wish that you conduct a wrong election? So, tell me the difference between those of us doing this and the armed robbers? What is the difference between us and the trained robbers?” he queried, adding “The process in which one comes to the office matters, the process of coming into that office must be excellent.”

While noting that everyone who merits a position “must have done something to merit it, a process is important,” he explained that if the exercise was properly conducted, no one would be contesting the outcome.

Asked what his next line of action would be since the INEC has refused to allow him to access the election materials, Obi said, “We would go to court and say what you have granted has been fluoted.we would do what’s necessary within the law.

“We must have access to the process they arrived at.”

On the accusation that he made Tinubu emerge the winner, he said, “I didn’t contest to let someone win.

“The declared winner didn’t not win. You may have been declared winner by whatever means, to win is to win the people.

“Democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people If you have not won the people, you have not won.

“The declared person didn’t win, the rascality is what we are challenging,” Obi declared.

When pressed that he was a accused of rigging the presidential election in the South East, he wondered why someone without the structure like the councilors and other elected officials of government could be so powerful as you rig.

“I have never paid anyone to add one vote for me. Ask the police or anyone, I have never.”

He justified his votes from Anambra State, where he was governor for eight years, noting that he’s known in the state.

He added that the votes he got in the state were expected because “I am from there, they know me. I don’t go with the police. If you want to test that, let’s go to Anambra.

“If the real votes of Rivers are counted, I won. I won in Aso Rock rock. Do you say it’s rigging?

“I don’t have the machinery like the police, councillor so how do I rig? What they are doing is what we are trying to change,” Obi said.

He expressed his commitment to a new Nigeria assuring that “I’m committed to a new Nigeria.”

In Labour Party, we are committed to build a democratic institute to teach people on what democratic institute and governance is all about.”