I’ll reclaim my mandate, Obi vows

…….insists he won the election 

The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Thursday hursday, insisted that he won last Saturday’s presidential election and was ready to prove it.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday, declared candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu as the winner of the presidential poll.

Tinubu secured 8,794,726 votes while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had the second-highest figure with 6,984,52 and Obi polled 6,101,533 votes.

But addressing a world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Obi said the result of the presidential election was most controversial and programmed to deliver pre-determined results.

He noted that the election did not meet the standard requirements and could not be adjudged as free, fair and credible.

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The LP presidential candidate insisted that Nigerians were robbed of their true choice, adding that he would pursue justice through the court and was ready to challenge the results till he prove his argument.

“The election that we just witnessed had been conducted and the results announced as programmed. It is a clear deviation from electoral rules and guidelines contrary to what we were promised.

“This election did not meet the minimum standard expected of a free, fair, transparent and credible election. It will go down as one of the most controversial elections ever conducted in Nigeria.

“The good and hardworking people of Nigeria have again been robbed by our supposed leaders whom they trusted,” he said.

“Let me reassure the good people of Nigeria that we will explore all legal and peaceful options to reclaim our mandate. We won the election and I will prove it to Nigerians,” Obi vowed.

On the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the election, the former Anambra State governor said, “the process through which people come into the office is far more fundamental, more important than what they do (in office) thereafter.

“It is my belief that if you must answer your excellency, the process through which you arrive at to office must be excellent.”

Obi encouraged his supporters not to view the outcome of the election as the end, “but a beginning”.

He appealed to Obidients not to be discouraged, urging them to take part in the governorship elections fixed for March 11.

“We have elections coming on the 11th. We enjoin you to go out and vote,” he said.