Obi says Tinubu's reconciliation move won't stop him from going to court

Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has finally reacted to the February 25 presidential election that produced Bola Tinubu as the president-elect.

Obi, who is challenging Tinubu’s election victory addressed journalists and his supporters on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at a press conference in Abuja.

24 hours before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Tinubu as the winner of the election, Obi and his party had vowed to reject the result of the exercise.

The Labour Party alleged that the election was rigged and that Obi was the authentic winner of the presidential election. 

Meanwhile, Tinubu has set up a reconciliation committee to reach out to Obi and other candidates, but Obi while addressing Nigerians at the conference, insisted on challenging the election at the court. 

Asked if he would accept to work with Tinubu for the sake of peace, Obi said he believes in a peaceful Nigeria, adding that peace has nothing to do with the alleged electoral fraud he is challenging at the court. 

He said, “When I made my general comments, I did ask for people to go about peacefully. And since the election, I have never shown that I don't want peace. I believe in a very peaceful Nigeria. I have had several forums where I asked people to remain calm and peaceful. That has nothing to do with what I am challenging. 

“I am challenging process. If the process is faulty, it is faulty. In fact, you can’t build on a faulty foundation. The foundation has to be right for peace to prevail, it is the foundation that I am challenging and I am pleading with you, it is not about me or about you. it’s about the future of our children, it has to be built on foundation of honesty, transparency and fairness”. 

Obi who polled 6,101,533 votes insisted that he defeated Tinubu who was declared the winner of the election having secured 8,794,726 votes.