2023 Election: Obi Would Not Have Won Even With 10 Million Votes — Lai Mohammed
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has claimed that the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, would not have won the election even if he had secured 10 million votes.
Mohammed made the statement while speaking on the outcome of the 2023 presidential election and the controversies that followed it. According to him, the structure and spread of votes required to win Nigeria’s presidential election made it impossible for Obi to emerge victorious, regardless of the total number of votes he may have garnered.
The former minister explained that Nigeria’s constitution does not only require a candidate to score the highest number of votes but also mandates a minimum geographical spread across at least two-thirds of the states of the federation. He argued that Obi failed to meet this constitutional requirement, which ultimately affected his chances at the polls.
Lai Mohammed further stated that the election was conducted in line with existing laws and insisted that the eventual winner, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), satisfied all constitutional conditions to be declared president. He dismissed claims that the election was rigged or manipulated, describing such allegations as misleading.
His comments have reignited debates around the 2023 election, which remains one of the most contested in Nigeria’s political history. Obi’s supporters, popularly known as the “Obidients,” have consistently argued that their candidate was unfairly treated and that irregularities affected the credibility of the process.
Critics of Mohammed’s statement accused him of downplaying public dissatisfaction and ignoring widespread concerns about transparency, logistics, and the use of technology during the election. Others, however, agreed with his position, saying electoral victory in Nigeria goes beyond popularity and requires nationwide acceptance and political structure.
The remarks have continued to generate strong reactions on social media, highlighting the deep political divisions that still linger nearly two years after the 2023 general election.
About the Author
