‘Obi never won 2023 election, that’s why he couldn’t fight it’- Sowore

Former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore has claimed that Peter Obi never actually won the 2023 presidential election, asserting that this was why he could not contest the results effectively.

Speaking at a recent public gathering, Sowore was asked how he plans to defend his votes should he run in the next election. He drew parallels with the late MKO Abiola, the billionaire who was widely regarded as the winner of the 1993 presidential election but was denied office.

Sowore recounted that despite the wealth and support Abiola had, he and a few others rallied around him but could not secure the victory. He emphasized that the challenge was not a lack of effort, but a lack of sufficient manpower to defend the mandate.

He said, “If I were the one who won any election, and I am not declared the winner, there is nobody who didn’t win the election that would be declared the winner and stay in that office. He will take my life; I will give it. Anyone who is not willing to die for his mandate is not worth voting for, even if it is a class captain. Power is never given on a platter of gold.”

According to Sowore, defending an election victory requires committed supporters ready to risk everything. He added that declaring a win without fighting for it is meaningless.

When directly asked whether he believes Obi won the election but failed to fight for it, Sowore replied: “If you can’t fight for something, how can you declare you won it? You can look at the judiciary all you want, but the best you will catch is Apollo.”