Nigeria 2023 Election: Reasons Why Peter Obi Lost Presidential Poll
There is no denying that Peter Obi of the Labour Party gave his major rivals in the battle for the presidential seat a very hard, especially the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Coming into the race for the presidency on the platform of an emergent party, LP, winning 12 states and gaining the constitutionally required 25% of the total votes cast in Two-thirds of all the states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Obi truly deserves applause.
In fact, one can conclude that the former Anambra governor lost his bid to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari by the whiskers.
Source: Facebook
But concentrating on some factors responsible for Obi's defeat, Legit.ng has compiled a number of them that is worthy of note.
Alleged poor alliance with northern region
Before the presidential election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday, February 25, there was a strong disaffection among the leading members of the LP in the north.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!
In specific terms, chairmen of the party across states in the region have been claiming that they are being marginalised by the LP at the national level.
A case in point was when the chairman of the party in Gombe, Alh Sani Abdulsalam, on Wednesday, February 22, claimed that when it comes to funds distribution for preparation ahead of the 2023 general elections, he and his colleagues are nowhere.
Threateningthen that Obi may lose the election if the needful was not done in time, Abdulsalam alleged:
“As of tonight, no alert has been received by any state chairmen and information reaching us confirmed that money was paid based on ethnic and religious consideration because only persons of a particular ethnic group currently run the campaign of Mr. Peter Obi in cohort with the national chairman, Mr. Julius Abure, has polluted the party..."
Unpopularity of Labour Party
Given, the LP is still learning how to play Nigeria's version of politics in terms of calculation, consultation with all key stakeholders, strategising, and execution of effective plans before the poll.
Quite akin to this is the popular opinion that Obi's party has 'no structure', a claim that he arguably overlooked.
Aborted alliance with Kwankwaso
One of the takeaways from the just-concluded election is that the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, whether unknowingly or as a strategy claimed most of the votes that would have gone to Obi or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Some opine that this was Kwankwaso's way to get back at candidates who failed to form an alliance with him. Whatever the case, Obi would probably have gone farther than he did if merger talks with the former Kano governor had worked.
Unpopularity of running mate
Although a northern Muslim who balances the religious and ethnic equation for the party, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Obi's running mate, has been described as unpopular and seemingly incapable of pulling weight for him in the north.
Alleged arrogance of Obi's supporters
In their zeal to demonstrate full support for Obi, his supporter, OBidients, were accused of being arrogant, especially online.
Whether true or not, the accusation to an extent demarketed the very party Obi's supporters where trying to sell to Nigerians.
Source: Legit.ng
