Peter Obi says he’ll ‘show’ he received Nigerian elections
Abuja, Nigeria
CNN
—
Nigeria’s third-placed presidential candidate, Peter Obi, strongly rejected the outcomes and vowed to contest them within the courts, in his first public deal with since Saturday’s election.
Obi stated he rejected the victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress get together, who was declared the winner with shut to eight.8 million votes – about 36.6% of the overall.
The 61-year-old candidate, who galvanized the youth vote, obtained about 6 million votes, in accordance the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), simply behind former vice chairman Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party.
Obi stated he ought to have been declared the winner.”We will discover all authorized and peaceable choices to reclaim our mandate. We received the election and we’ll show it to Nigerians,” Obi stated in a televised press briefing from Abuja on Thursday, alleging the method was rigged.
“This election did not meet the minimum standard expected of a free, transparent, credible and fair election,” he stated. “It will go down as one of the most controversial elections ever conducted in Nigeria. The good and hardworking people of Nigeria have been robbed by our supposed leaders whom they trusted.”
O
bi stated he was hopeful of a good final result to his promised authorized problem. “I know the courts will do the right thing. The future of their children is involved,” he stated.
Dressed in his trademark black shirt and trousers, emblazoned along with his Labour Party emblem, Obi was in excessive spirits as he took questions on the media briefing held at an Abuja lodge.
As he left the venue, Obi was mobbed by a crowd of supporters with many chanting his title and others saying “My President.”
Obi shouldn’t be new to election authorized battles: In 2007, he was reinstated as governor of southeastern Anambra state three months after he was impeached by the state parliament.
He was returned to workplace by the courts on two different events, after the INEC declared his opponents as winners of the gubernatorial elections he contested.
Saturday’s election was dogged with controversy, with a number of observers together with the European Union saying the election fell wanting expectations and “lacked transparency.”
The ballot additionally witnessed a low voter turnout. More than 93 million folks registered to vote, in response to INEC, however solely 87 million obtained a voter card, a essential requirement to vote. But the electoral fee stated on Wednesday that solely 24 million legitimate votes have been counted, representing a turnout of simply 26% — a determine a lot decrease than the final elections in 2019 when round a 3rd of registered voters ended up voting.
The election was additionally blighted by pockets of violence, with many citizens in Lagos complaining of intimidation and makes an attempt to suppress their votes.