Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has confronted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other top Nigerian officials, disputing the outcome of the 2023 presidential election and demanding recognition of the true winner.
Obi’s confrontation came barely 24 hours after the Former military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida, admitted that the late Chief Moshood Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The former Anambra governor called for accountability and transparency in the country’s electoral history, seeking confirmation of candidates denied victory in the past annulled polls.
He also commended Babangida’s courage to come out after three decades to admit the winner noting that it is a step towards national healing, unity, and progress.
Obi, who made this comment through a post on his social media handle on Friday, made a reference to the Ghanaian government saying, Ghana has remained a truly democratic country for the past 30 years, with leadership transition that reflects the genuine votes of the people, unlike Nigeria, where electoral outcome often fail to align with peoples will.
According to him, ” Today, I had the gracious honor of attending the launch of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s long-awaited autobiography, A Journey in Service, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja. IBB’s contributions to Nigeria’s economy and his strong support for entrepreneurship and private sector growth remain immeasurable ”
Under his leadership, Nigeria witnessed substantial growth, particularly in the financial sector. He played a key role in fostering a united and equitable Nigeria, and economic landscape, ensuring policies that strengthened national cohesion and economic development.
“Documenting such experiences is a welcome development, as it allows us to learn from those who have served and left a lasting impact on the nation. I look forward to reading this book, which undoubtedly holds valuable lessons. As someone committed to continuous learning, I will always align myself with knowledge drawn from documented experiences and historical records as well as contribute to the legacy library ”
” The 1st is the keynote Speaker’s notable quotation in French, “Rien n’a changé” meaning “Nothing much has changed.” In the case of Nigeria, we are worse off than we were during IBB’s era. Using our contemporary peers as a benchmark, when IBB left office in 1992, countries like Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, and Ghana were all in the low Human Development Index (HDI) category—just like Nigeria. Today, however, these nations have advanced to medium and high HDI levels, while Nigeria remains in the low HDI category, having either stagnated or declined”
” The Keynote speaker’s comment that Ghana has remained a truly democratic country for the past 30 years, with leadership transitions that reflect the genuine votes of the people. Unlike Nigeria, where electoral outcomes often fail to reflect the people’s will, Ghana has witnessed instances where ruling party candidates conceded defeat, respecting democracy in its truest form ”
“Lastly of the most profound moments of the event was IBB’s admission that Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12 election. This acknowledgment is a step toward national healing, unity and progress of our nation. I hope that one day, other key players in Nigeria’s democracy will find the courage to recognize the true winners of past elections, allowing our nation to tell its story with honesty and reflection”
