The Presidency has called upon the Labor Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to come to terms with his electoral defeat and explore alternative career paths rather than directing criticism towards the judiciary,leadership report.
In a statement issued on Monday, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, criticized Obi for holding a press conference in which he made what were characterized as “baseless allegations” against the Supreme Court and the electoral commission for not declaring him the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
It was reported that earlier on Monday, Obi declared that his political journey was far from over, indicating his intent to contest the presidential election again in 2027, all while voicing disapproval of the Judiciary’s pronouncements on the 2023 presidential election.
Onanuga expressed his astonishment that Obi believed he had a chance to win the election, despite coming in a distant third place. He also accused Obi of conducting a divisive campaign that fanned the flames of religious and ethnic divisions.
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The Presidential aide contended that Obi’s grievances against the Supreme Court were contradictory, as he had previously benefited from the court’s judgments. Onanuga emphasized that the apex court’s judgments are not influenced by public opinion or popular sentiment.
He further criticized Obi’s post-election legal action as “lacking substance and unconvincing,” noting that it failed to provide evidence of electoral malpractice, despite Obi’s allegations. Throughout the legal process, Obi’s legal team did not present alternative election results.
Onanuga remarked, “We are puzzled by how the Labor Party candidate expected the courts to rule based on rumors, falsehoods, and narratives promoted by partisan supporters and fanatical members of his ‘Obidient Movement.'”
The Presidency urged Obi to consider pursuing a different calling, given that he had been rejected by the majority of Nigerians who did not view him as a suitable leader for the country.
The statement concluded with an invitation for Obi and his party to embrace their role as the opposition and prepare for another attempt at the presidency in 2027. It also expressed the hope that, by then, Obi would campaign on substantive issues rather than resorting to religious and ethnic appeals as was done in the previous campaign.
