God only is right-Obi replies those attributing divine hand to rigged mandate

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has said that the problem of Nigeria is accepting the unacceptable as God’s wish for the country.

Obi, who was a guest on Arise Television Morning Show interview programme on Monday, was reacting to the position of some Nigerians that the outcome of the February 25, 2023 presidential election, should be seen and accepted as the wish of God.

The LP candidate said that God did not wish bad things for people.

He said that it was these bad things that the Obidient Movement was trying to change.

“The problem of Nigeria is accepting what is unacceptable. That is not God’s wish. God’s wish is when you do the right thing. Is it God’s wish that we remain poor as a country despite his abundant blessings on us?”

He said that Nigeria had remained decadent in a continuous state of moral decline because they keep accepting what was wrong and dragging God into it, but noted that the Obidient Movement was in the system to change it and create a new egalitarian society.

The former Anambra state Governor said it was a saddening fact that after 63 years as a nation, Nigeria had yet unable to conduct a good election, describing the February 25 presidential election as the worst in Nigeria’s history, considering that the Electoral Law of 2022 was enacted to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

Obi said that while he was pursuing his mandate through legal and peaceful means, it was disheartening that rule of law was being treated with levity by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which is a public institution maintained by taxpayer’s money.

He reiterated that what he was challenging was the process and he did not hope to back out until the right thing was done because doing and accepting the wrong thing was what had kept us down as a nation.

On some insinuations by characters speaking for their principals, Obi said since they were not on the ballot he would prefer to speak when those he contested with speak, but said that the 97 percent votes he got in Anambra state shouldn’t disturb anybody because he was expecting 100% votes because the people know him and believe in him.

He noted further that he had been truthful to them.

He said the same thing applied to the Southeast and other states where he received the lion’s share of the votes cast because they believed and trusted in him.

“They forgot that I got over 95% in Anambra state in 2019 when I was a running mate. In 2023, I was the main candidate, I am even surprised that I did not get 100%”

On the claim of some persons that he took away PDP votes and helped Bola Tinubu to win, Obi said he was not contesting to help anybody but to win and by records, Nigerians made that happen despite the abracadabra by the INEC.

Obi also gave clarifications on his support for Labour Party governorship candidates in some states, saying that he supported LP ticket holders in Enugu, Abia, Lagos, and Plateau states among others 100%, and directed his supporters to vote for them.

On the ethnic tension in Lagos state over his victory on the February 25 poll ahead of the governorship election, Obi said it was not ethnic but some mischievous persons were trying to create such an impression pointing out that many more non-Igbos and Yorubas who shared the aspiration for new Nigeria voted for him.

He explained that even if Igbos voted for him, this was not the first time they were voting for people.

“They had voted massively like this for Olusegun Obasanjo even when he lost an election in his region, and they also gave Jonathan more votes than South-South states, and all these brouhahas did not happen.”

On the possible partnership with the PDP, Obi said that there was nothing like that but that “we are challenging a process that is wrong, created by INEC to serve a particular purpose.”