Peter Obi, the 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, stressing that he would respect Nigerians’ choice if they elected 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 insisted that he won the 2023 presidential election, saying those who organised the election know what happened.
“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.”
On “turn-by-turn” presidency, Obi said elections should not be based on tribe or religion, adding that he has the qualifications and competence to lead Nigeria.
He also listed Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Kellogg among institutions he attended, saying he would leave the race if any of his certificates were found to be false.
Obi further criticised Nigeria’s lack of younger presidents, saying, “Since 1960, nobody born outside 1960 has been president of Nigeria.”
