The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi says Nigerians not to accept the outcome of a rigged election as the will of God.
Obi, while speaking as a guest at the Arise Television Morning Show interview programme on Monday, said the problem of Nigerians over the years Eleis accepting what is wrong and unacceptable as God’s wish for the country, Vanguard reports.
The statement by Mr. Obi was also in response to the position of some Nigerians who argued that the outcome of the February 25, 2023, Presidential election, should be seen and accepted as the will of God.
The LP candidate noted that God doesn’t wish bad things for people and it’s these things that the Obidient Movement is trying to change.
“The problem of Nigeria is accepting what is unacceptable. That’s not God’s wish. God’s wish is when you do the right thing. Is it God’s wish that we remain poor as a country despite it’s abundant blessings on us?” he said.
Obi said Nigeria has remained decadent in a continuous state of moral decline
because they keep accepting what is wrong and dragging God into it.
He also noted that the Obidient Movement which he symbolizes is in the system to change it and create an egalitarian society.
Mr. Obi also made comments on the transparency of the electoral process. The former Anambra state Governor said it was disheartening that after 63 years as a nation, Nigeria remained unable to conduct an election which meets the minimum acceptable standard.
Interestingly, he described the February 25 Presidential election as the worst in Nigeria’s history considering that the Electoral Law of 2022 was enacted to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
On the role of the judiciary, Obi said that while he is pursuing his mandate through legal and peaceful means, it’s disheartening that rule of law is being treated with levity by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC which is a public institution maintained by taxpayer’s money.
He equally explained that there was nothing personal about his decision to challenge the abuse of the process during the last election and he does not hope to back out until the right thing is done because doing and accepting the wrong thing is what has kept Nigeria down.
Obi, while commenting on insinuations about him from aides speaking for their principals, said since these aides were not on the ballot he would prefer to speak when those he contested with speak, but said that the 97 percent votes he got in Anambra state shouldn’t disturb anybody because he was expecting 100% votes because the people know him and believe in him.
Noting further that he has been truthful to them. Ditto for the South East and other states where he received the lion’s share of the votes cast because they believe and trust in him.
He said, “They forgot that I got over 95% in Anambra state in 2019 when I was a running mate, in 2023 I was the main candidate, I am even surprised that I did not get 100%”
On the claim of some persons that he took away PDP votes and helped Bola Tinubu to win, Obi said he was not contesting to help anybody but to win and by records, Nigerians made that happen despite the abracadabra by the INEC.
Obi also clarified his support for Labour Party governorship candidates in some states, saying that he supports LP ticket holders in Enugu, Abia, Lagos, and Plateau states among others 100%, and directs his supporters to vote for them.
Speaking about the ethnic tension in Lagos state over his victory on the February 25 poll ahead of the governorship election, Obi said it’s not ethnic but some mischievous persons are trying to create such an impression pointing out that many more non-Igbos and Yorubas who share the aspiration for new Nigeria voted for him.
Obi explained that even if Igbos voted for him, this is not the first time they are voting for people, they had voted massively like this for Olusegun Obadsnjo even when he lost an election in his region and they also gave Jonathan more votes than South-South states and all these brouhahas did not happen.
On the possible partnership with the PDP, Obi said that there is nothing like that but that “we are challenging a process that is wrong created by INEC to serve a particular purpose”.
