By Sandra Kenneth
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has strongly criticized the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent claim that he won the last general election despite conceding that he lacked evidence to back up his assertion.
The ruling party’s campaign council described Obi’s remarks as a “troubling display of delusion,” accusing the former Anambra State governor of total disregard for facts and official records.
In a statement issued on Friday, the council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, took exception to Obi’s comments during a recent BBC interview. During the session, Obi—who has recently been linked with the Nigeria Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 presidential race—insisted he emerged victorious in 2023.
Obi was quoted as saying, “I don’t like going back to the past; I won the last election. There’s no evidence, but I won the election, as everything is not based on evidence.”
A ‘Disturbing Disconnection from Reality’
Reacting sharply to the interview, the APC council maintained that Obi’s insistence on an electoral victory contrary to all official outcomes reflects a deep detachment from reality.
“For a candidate who placed a distant third in the presidential poll to persistently insist he won, without evidence and contrary to all official records, reflects a deep and troubling disconnection from reality and absolute disregard for facts,” the statement read.
The council reiterated that President Bola Tinubu remains the undisputed winner of the 2023 poll, noting that his victory was officially declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission and subsequently validated by both the Presidential Election Petition Court and the Supreme Court.
Defense of Reforms and Legacy Challenges
Defending the current administration, the campaign council highlighted that ongoing economic reforms under President Tinubu are yielding positive outcomes, including stabilizing the economy, expanding national infrastructure, backing small-scale enterprises, improving healthcare and education, and creating job opportunities.
Beyond the election dispute, the APC council challenged Obi to honour his public pledge to step down from the 2027 presidential race if official records proved his administration left behind unresolved financial liabilities during his tenure in Anambra State. The council asserted that existing state financial records already confirm the presence of such liabilities.
