Ex-INEC Chairman Yakubu Worked Against Me In 2023 Election– Peter Obi

The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, of working against his interests during the election.

Obi alleged that Yakubu gave assurances to the international community about INEC’s readiness to deliver a credible election while allegedly acting otherwise.

The former Anambra State governor made the allegation during an interview aired on Arise TV, where he spoke about the 2023 presidential election and preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Obi, who is now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the forthcoming election, said Nigerians relied on INEC’s assurances ahead of the 2023 poll.

He said voters believed Yakubu’s repeated claims that the electoral commission was prepared to conduct a credible election.

“In 2023 we took things for granted, we believed the INEC, we believed that what they were saying they would do because the chairman then was travelling all over the world, telling the world that he and his team were prepared to do the right thing, when he was actually working for the opposite,” Obi said.

According to Obi, Nigerians would not repeat what he described as the mistake of relying solely on assurances from electoral officials ahead of the 2027 election.

“This time we will only trust them by doing the right thing by ourselves,” Obi said.

When asked if he had evidence to support his allegation against Yakubu, Obi replied, “Yes, of course.”

Pressed to provide details of the evidence, Obi said those involved in conducting the election were aware of the alleged irregularities, including the former INEC chairman.

“Everybody knows, even him (Yakubu) knows. I am sure if you meet him, he knows in his heart that he did the wrong thing,” Obi said.

Asked whether he had confronted Yakubu personally over the matter, Obi said he had no interest in revisiting the issue.

“I don’t want to, that is past,” he replied.

He added, “Those who think about yesterday and today will miss tomorrow. For me it is gone, it is finished.”

Obi also insisted that he emerged victorious in the 2023 presidential election, despite INEC’s official results placing him third behind Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Responding to a question about how he could maintain that position given the difference between his votes and those recorded by Tinubu and Atiku, Obi said the margin was irrelevant.

“Yes, I won the election,” he said.

“Forget about the margins, everybody, those who conducted the election, the officials know they did the wrong thing,” Obi added.