***Says election was conducted in violation of INEC rules, electoral act
The Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi on Wednesday vowed to use legal but peaceful means to reclaim the mandate the Nigerian People freely gave to him and his running mate on the 25th of February, 2023.
He assured Nigerians of the Party’s determination to fight the injustice that has been perpetrated against Nigerians with all legal and peaceful means.
Speaking at a Press Conference in Abuja through his running mate Yusuf Baba Ahmed Datti, Obi said Certain legal actions, would be taken when they approach the court within the stipulated time.
“The legal team is at work already, and you will get more details from his Excellency Peter Obi when he speaks. This is prelude to his own.
“It is our position that the purported result released does not meet the expectations, the minimum criteria of transparent, free and fair election, in addition to the most condemnable attacks, violence, voters intimidation and suppression. “The election was conducted in clear violation of INEC rules and guidelines, the electoral act 2022 as amended and indeed the Nigerian constitution as evident.
“The institution of the State and leaders that are supposed to ensure the sanctity of the election, again, as in the past, collaborated and subverted the will of the good people of Nigeria.
“Please be assured of our determination to fight the injustice that has been perpetrated on Nigerians with all legal and peaceful means.
“While painful, we implore you all to please remain peaceful as our fight for a new Nigeria is just beginning.
“We equally encourage you all to continue with the campaign and vote solely for the Labour Party in the next Saturday election, the governorship and State House of Assembly elections on 11th March, 2023.
“First let me sincerely thank all Nigerians for their belief in us and for comming out enmass to vote for the Labour Party for the course they believe in, the birth We are grateful to the youths, obidients and all support groups including Nigerians in the diaspora, for their sacrifices, conduct and commitment to a better Nigeria.”
He called on his supporters to go and Vote in the next election,
“We cannot tell Nigerians not to be part of Nigeria anymore. If you sit in your country and you don’t vote, you don’t belong to the country.”
While fielding questions from newsmen at the conference Datti said,
“Here we are, our movement is less than 8months old and we won elections in the Federal Republic of Nigeria where they have had an 8year concurrent government.
“As far as we are concerned we have won this election, they refused to upload results, they refused to refer to IREV just for them to defeat us.
“It took a serving government illegality and constitutional breach to defeat Peter Obi and my humble self.
“I tell you, we are winners, Nigerian people are winners, and Nigerian Nation us waiting for a day that Peter Obi and myself will through the rigors presented by the illegality and unconstitutionality get to power somehow one day.”
On plan for Lagos Governorship election amidst apprehension he said,
“As far as we are concerned, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and institutions are in place and in effect, so as far as we are concerned we shall continue to hold the Buhari administration to the promise of free and fair elections. That is the best that we know.
“Just like we have continued the struggle. Nigerians must continue the struggle by exercising their rights
On the confidence they have in the Judiciary to resort to it, he said,
“Irrespective of the low level of confidence you have in any system, your responsibility is your responsibility. Nigerians contested the 2023 Preaidential election through Peter Obi and my humble self.
“We are going to keep the struggle alive irrespective of the low confidence in any system. We have extremely low confidence in the promise of the government that there will be free and fair election yet we went ahead into the election.
“It doest matter how low the confidence is, the law is the law. There is a confidence we had in them, there is a confidence we have in ourselves and in our case. These are different things. “The confidence we have in our case is that elections so to say were not held because from the polling units, the electoral act 2022 as amended provided the direct transmission of results from the polling units, it is that transmission that says elections were held.
“They were not transmitted, what results are you giving if there are no results, what elections are you talking about? Now going to the registration areas or ward collection units, no INEC returning officer he or she without making reference to existing concurrent IREV which did not exist.
“How did they collate, if there is no valid collation what results are they talking about, illegality has been performed.
“As far as we are concerned here is an incoming government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is illegal and unconstitutional.
“As far as we are concerned it is now for the courts. We are submitting our case to the courts for them, irrespective of how much confidence the world or Africa or Nigerians have in them, it is for them to show again that level of confidence.”