I won 2023 presidential election without any governor – Peter Obi

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has dismissed concerns over the growing number of governors backing President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that governors do not determine electoral outcomes.

Obi said his performance in the 2023 presidential election proved that popular support, not political endorsements, remains the decisive factor in any democratic contest.

Speaking during an interview with NoireTV, the former Anambra State governor recalled that he contested the last presidential election without the support of any sitting governor and still secured victories across several states.

“I won 2023 presidential election without any governor,” Obi said“It doesn’t matter whether 36 governors are with the president. I didn’t have one governor in the last election, and I won 12 states.”

Obi further alleged that he was deprived of victories in two states during the election, maintaining that his showing at the polls demonstrated that voters, rather than political structures, ultimately decide elections.

“Even after they have stolen two from me, I won 12 states. By making Abuja a state, we now have 37 states, because that is what the judgment of the Supreme Court showed,” he said.

The former governor argued that the 2027 election should focus on the welfare of Nigerians rather than political calculations and elite alliances.

According to him, millions of Nigerians are more concerned about hunger, insecurity, education, healthcare and economic opportunities than the number of governors supporting a particular candidate.

“So it doesn’t matter whether they took all the governors. What is important, and what this election is going to be all about, is how to make Nigeria work for the poor,” Obi sai.

.“A Nigeria where tribe, ethnicity and religion will not be the issue. The issue will be about the welfare of the people, the education of the people and the health of the people. That’s the Nigeria we want. Nigerians are hungry today. Nigerians are looking for food.”

Obi also pledged to pursue dialogue as a means of addressing agitations and strengthening national unity if elected president in 2027.

Speaking during an interaction with Nigerians in Washington, D.C., United States, he said meaningful engagement and sacrifice would be necessary to heal divisions and rebuild trust across the country.

“To achieve the aim of unifying the country, I will listen to all agitators, harmonise them and make some sacrifices with a view to bringing the country together,” he said.

His comments come as political consultations and alliance talks intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition parties seeking to build momentum against the ruling APC.

Despite the growing political realignments, Obi insisted that the ultimate decision rests with Nigerians and not with governors or political power brokers.

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