Governors’ Support Won’t Determine Election Outcome, Peter Obi Insists

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said that the support of state governors will not determine the outcome of future elections, insisting that electoral success ultimately depends on the people.

Obi made the assertion during an interview on Noire TV, where he argued that his performance in the last presidential election demonstrated that backing from governors is not decisive.

According to him, despite not enjoying the support of any state governor during the election, he was still able to secure victories in 12 states.

The former Anambra State governor further alleged that he lost two additional states due to electoral irregularities.

“It doesn’t matter whether all 36 governors are with the president. I didn’t have one governor in the last election and I won 12 states,” Obi said.

“Even after they allegedly took two states from me through rigging, I still won 12 states. If those states had counted, I would have won 14.”

Obi also referenced the performance of other presidential candidates in the election, noting that the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, won Kano State, while the major parties recorded victories in several states across the country.

According to him, the focus of future elections should not be on political endorsements by governors but on addressing the challenges facing ordinary Nigerians.

“What is important, and what this campaign and election will be about, is how to make Nigeria work for the poor,” he said.

The NDC presidential candidate maintained that the electorate remains the most important factor in any democratic contest and urged political leaders to focus on policies that improve the lives of citizens.