Peter Obi says Labour Party and PDP have not entered into any pact over presidential elections

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Peter Obi has denied that there is any pact between his Labour Party and Nigeria's main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regarding the 2023 general elections whose results they are both contesting in court.

On Saturday February 25, Nigerians went to the polls to elect a new president and Inec subsequently declared Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner. Among the main gladiators in the contest were Asiwaju Tinubu of APC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, ex-Anambra State governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party and former Kano State governor Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).

 Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served as the returning officer for the presidential election, declared Asiwaju Tinubu the victor of the contest with 8,794,726  votes, defeating Alhaji Abubakar of the PDP, who came second with 6,984,520 votes. However, the PDP and Labour Party have refused to accept the results, taking to the courts to challenge the APCs victory.

With a lengthy and bitter legal challenge on the cards, the APC, PDP and Labour Party have all pit together teams of lawyers to fight their case. However, speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show today, Governor Obi said there is no partnership between his party and the PDP regarding the 2023 general elections.

Governor Obi said: “There isn't any partnership between the Labour Party and the PDP. Both of us are challenging a process that is wrong. We are all challenging it because we are all participants.

 “It’s now the process that will say who had the highest number of votes in the said election. What is important is who received the highest number of the rightful votes cast and who has the spread."

He added that the presidential candidate of the PDP Atiku Abubakar is like an elder brother and father to him. Governor Obi also said he has no grudges with Asiwaju Tinubu regarding his declaration by Inec, as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.

Governor Obi said: “I have no issues with Tinubu as he is somebody I have so much respect for as a brother and regard as a father. I am only challenging the process through which Inec declared him as the president-elect.

 “We are committed to a new Nigeria, so we must do everything that is right. We need to build strong democratic institutions that will teach people what their job requires and what government is all about.”

Both the PDP and Labour Party are claiming they won the February 25 presidential elections, meaning that three different candidates are laying claims to victory. This will mean both Alhaji Abubakar and Governor Obi will likely fill separate law suits before the election tribunal.