Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has said he would accept defeat in the 2027 presidential election if the process is free, fair and credible.
Obi made the statement during an interview aired on Arise TV on Thursday, saying he would respect the choice of Nigerians if voters decided to elect another candidate.
“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will because it’s an election. It’s the people that would say who they want to serve, and I will respect the will of the people; that’s democracy,” he said.
However, Obi maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, insisting that those who conducted the poll were aware of what happened during the process.
His words, “I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened.
Obi Rejects ‘Turn-by-Turn’ Presidency
Responding to questions about the idea of a “turn-by-turn” presidency, Obi argued that Nigeria’s elections should be based on competence rather than ethnicity or religion.
“Election should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria. I have the competence; I have been all over the world studying what it takes to be president of a country, and I know what I can do to turn around this country in the right direction,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor also spoke about his educational background, naming several international institutions he said he had attended, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Kellogg.
“You can look at our qualification in terms of training. I’ve been to the best schools from all over the world, from Oxford to Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia, and Kellogg, and I’ve been everywhere, and every certificate I’m showing you is the way it is. If they find anyone wrong, I will drop from the race,” he said.
Obi Raises Concern Over Youth Representation
Obi also questioned the lack of younger representation at the highest level of Nigeria’s political leadership.
He pointed out that no Nigerian born after 1960 has served as president since the country gained independence.
His comments come as political parties and potential presidential contenders begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election, with issues including electoral credibility, competence, youth participation and national unity expected to remain major campaign themes.
