Lai Mohammed: Peter Obi Couldn’t Have Won 2023 Election Even With 10 Million Extra Votes

Former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Lai Mohammed, has stated that former Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, would not have emerged president of Nigeria in the 2023 election, even if he had secured an additional 10 million votes. Speaking on Edmund Obilo’s “State Affairs” podcast, Mohammed dismissed claims that Obi was “rigged out” of the election, emphasising that Obi neither won the election nor was the main challenger to eventual winner Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). “The 2023 presidential election was conducted in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution. Peter Obi did not meet the requirements to win, even with an additional 10 million votes,” Mohammed said.

Mohammed explained that under Nigeria’s Constitution, a presidential candidate must not only receive the highest number of votes nationwide, but also secure at least 25 per cent of votes in two-thirds of Nigeria’s states. In the 2023 election, Obi reportedly achieved 25 per cent of votes in only 15 states, finishing third behind Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who met the threshold in 21 states. Tinubu, the declared winner, secured the majority of votes and the constitutional 25 per cent spread in 29 states. “Even if Obi had gained 10 million more votes, he still would not have satisfied the constitutional criteria for presidency,” Mohammed added.

READ ALSO:

• FG Allocates ₦5.6bn for New Carter Bridge as Old Structure Fails Safety Test
• Iran Launches Missiles at Israel as Middle East War Enters Sixth Day
• US Submarine Sinks Iranian Warship in Indian Ocean as Conflict Escalates

He noted that many supporters of Obi questioned the credibility of the 2023 election on social media. To counter misinformation, his team engaged international think tanks and media outlets in the US and UK to explain why Obi could not have legally won. Mohammed emphasised that public perception or social media narratives cannot override constitutional requirements.

The former minister also suggested that Obi was not the primary challenger in the election. He argued that had Obi remained aligned with Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, the opposition might have had a better chance to win, highlighting that the fragmentation of votes weakened the opposition’s prospects.

Despite these clarifications, critics of the 2023 polls continue to raise concerns over electoral transparency, logistics failures, and voter inclusivity. Supporters of Obi maintain calls for electoral reforms, stressing the need to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic processes for future elections. Mohammed’s comments reinforce the government’s position that Nigeria’s constitutional rules are the definitive measure of election outcomes.

Lai Mohammed: Peter Obi Couldn’t Have Won 2023 Election Even With 10 Million Extra Votes

‘Probe Is Political’ — El-Rufai Refuses To Answer ICPC, Insists On Court Trial

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has explained why he declined to respond to questions from the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, describing the investigation against him as politically motivated.

In handwritten statements made under caution on February 19 and 20, 2026, while in ICPC custody and in the presence of his lawyer, Ubong E. Akpan, the former governor said his decision to remain silent was deliberate and in exercise of his constitutional rights.

El-Rufai maintained that he would only respond to any allegations before a court of law.

“I have, on the advice of counsel, decided to exercise my right to silence. I will make no further statement or respond to any question,” he wrote in his first statement dated February 19.

He added that after what he described as nearly two years of investigation, the anti-graft agency should present its findings before a judicial tribunal.

“I believe that after nearly two years of intensive investigation, the ICPC should present its findings to a judicial tribunal and not to me. I will respond to any allegations in a court of law only,” he stated.

The former governor further alleged that the probe was driven by politics, claiming his affiliation with the African Democratic Congress was the “real reason” behind the investigation.

“I am a leading member of the African Democratic Congress, the only surviving opposition party in Nigeria, which is the real reason you are investigating me,” he wrote.

Providing personal background in the statement, El-Rufai said he was born in Dandawa, Katsina State, in 1960, attended school in Kaduna and obtained his first degree in Quantity Surveying from Ahmadu Bello University. He also listed academic stints at Harvard University and the University of London.

He outlined his public service career, including serving as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises between 1999 and 2003, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007, and two-term governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023.

In a follow-up statement dated February 20, 2026, El-Rufai reiterated his stance.

“Upon presentation of further documents and questions, I reserve my constitutional right to silence to all the documents and further questions… I will respond to these documents and questions only when presented in a Court of Law,” he wrote.

El-Rufai may regain his freedom on Thursday if the ICPC fails to file charges before the expiration of a 14-day remand order granted by a Chief Magistrate Court in Bwari. The detention warrant is due to lapse on March 5, 2026.

The ICPC has yet to publicly respond to the former governor’s claims that the investigation is politically motivated.

Wike Blasts Kingibe Over FCT Council Election Remarks

The Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has criticised Senator Ireti Kingibe over her comments on the recent FCT local government council elections, insisting that elections are a process, not a one-day event.

Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Wike emphasised that voters, not surveys or last-minute claims, determine election results. He explained that preparations for elections begin well before voting day, from candidate nomination and party primaries to campaigns and voter engagement, noting that a survey conducted on February 21 should not be used as a definitive reflection of outcomes.

“It’s a process that starts from the nomination of candidates. It’s a process that goes through a campaign before it gets to an election. So election is not just that particular date of voting,” Wike said.

He compared the electoral process to exam preparation, warning that those who fail to prepare often make excuses.

“You know the exam will come in two or three months. Nobody waits for the last minute to prepare. You must attend classes and read,” Wike explained.
“That is why students who are not prepared call for strikes to avoid the exam,” he added.

READ ALSO:

• Israeli Airstrikes Kill 31 in Lebanon as Hezbollah Loses Senior Figures
• Nigeria to Receive Breakthrough HIV Prevention Drug This Month – NACA
• Iran Retaliates: Gulf States Allied With US Hit by Missiles, Drones

Wike also referenced claims by Kingibe, who reportedly vowed to use the February 21 council elections to “teach me a lesson”. He dismissed this as politically motivated, noting that some parties had earlier suggested that the council election could influence the 2027 general election.

The minister rejected allegations that he declared a curfew, saying the decision he referenced was approved by President and granted residents a work-free day to travel safely to their areas of origin.

“By the approval of Mr. President, people were given a work-free day so they could travel and not return late. I never declared any curfew,” Wike said.

He added that, as a minister representing the President, his decisions are guided by security intelligence reports unavailable to the public.

The exchange highlights growing political tensions in the FCT, where electoral credibility and governance remain contentious ahead of upcoming elections.

Wike Blasts Kingibe Over FCT Council Election Remarks