Election Petition Tribunal: Tinubu reveals why Atiku lost the election

In his preliminary objection, the Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu stated that former Vice President and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar could not have won the elections because his votes were shared by two other contestants.

Tinubu was declared the winner after securing 8,794,726 votes, Atiku came second with 6,984,520 votes; while Obi and Kwankwaso got 6,101,533 and 1,496,687 votes, respectively, to finish third and fourth.

In his explanation, both Obi and Kwankwaso were members of the PDP not long before the elections took place, their departure affected the overall result of the party.

Tinubu said:

“Obi broke away from the PDP to join the Labour Party to contest the presidential election of 25th February 2023, while Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso also broke away from PDP to contest the presidential election on the ticket of the NNPP.

“While Peter Obi polled a total number of 6,101,533, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso polled 1,496,687.

“Before the balkanisation of the 2nd petitioner (PDP), the southeastern states of Enugu, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi and Anambra used to be controlled by the 2nd petitioner, but at the presidential election of February 25, 2023, they all went the way of Labour Party.

“At a press conference addressed by the 1st petitioner on or about March 2, 2023, he admitted the negative impact of the balkanisation of the 2nd petitioner on the fortune of his election, particularly, the exit of Peter Gregory Obi from the party.

“Respondent pleads the national newspapers that publicised the 1st petitioner’s press conference, including The PUNCH of March 3, 2023, where the 1st petitioner was reported to have lamented thus: It is a fact that Peter Obi took our votes from the South-East and South-South, but that wouldn’t make him the President. You need votes from everywhere.”