2023 Presidency: Why Atiku Couldn't Have Won — Tinubu

President-elect Bola Tinubu has stated why he thinks the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could not have won the 2023 election.

Tinubu who called Atiku a serial loser on Thursday while defending his victory at the poll said that the latter could not have won because part of the votes which ought to have gone to him was shared between Labour Party's Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

According to Tinubu, the above happened owing to the fact that both Obi and Kwankwaso were formerly members of the PDP.

Atiku, who is dissatisfied with the declaration of Tinubu as the winner, is challenging the victory at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja, seeking to void INEC's decision.

Responding to Atiku's petition, the President-elect stated through his legal team that Atiku's chances were dimmed by various factors, including the crisis within his party.

Tinubu used 2019 as an instance, saying that Atiku's chances were better then when he contested as his party was more cohesive and Obi was his running mate, while Kwankwaso was a supporter.

“The same  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”, Tinubu said.