Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi says he is prepared to accept the outcome of the 2027 presidential election if the exercise is conducted in a free, fair and credible manner.
Speaking during an interview with Arise News on Thursday, the former Anambra State governor said the authority to determine who leads Nigeria ultimately belongs to the electorate.
For Obi, accepting an electoral defeat would not be a question of personal ambition but a demonstration of respect for democracy and the decision of voters.
“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will because it’s an election. It’s the people that would say who they want to serve, and I will respect the will of the people; that’s democracy,” he said.
His position comes as political parties and their candidates begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections, with questions over the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process expected to remain central to the contest.
‘I Won The 2023 Election’
Although Obi said he would respect the outcome of a credible 2027 election, he remains adamant about his assessment of the 2023 presidential poll.
The NDC candidate maintained that he won the election but alleged that the results were manipulated.
“I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened,” Obi said.
His comments reflect his long-standing position that the 2023 presidential election did not accurately reflect the votes he believed he received.
Obi: Qualification, Not Religion Or Tribe
Beyond the question of election results, Obi said Nigerians should judge political candidates primarily on their competence and qualifications rather than ethnic or religious considerations.
He argued that the country’s leadership should be determined by what a candidate can offer rather than where the person comes from or the faith they profess.
“Election should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria. I have the competence; I have been all over the world studying what it takes to be president of a country, and I know what I can do to turn around this country in the right direction,” he said.
Obi also highlighted his educational background, mentioning institutions including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Kellogg as part of his argument that he possesses the training required for the presidency.
He challenged anyone who disputes the authenticity of his qualifications to scrutinise them, saying he would withdraw from the presidential race if any of the certificates he presented were found to be false.
‘It Is Time For Youths To Lead’
Obi also used the interview to draw attention to what he described as the absence of younger generations from Nigeria’s highest political office.
According to him, no Nigerian born after 1960 has served as president since independence, despite repeated political promises that young people would eventually take over the country’s leadership.
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“Since 1960, nobody born outside 1960 has been president of Nigeria. This is 66 years of independence; no other country in the world has had this happen to, and they tell youths they’re the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.
The NDC candidate has therefore positioned youth inclusion, competence and national development as major elements of his political message ahead of the 2027 election.
For Obi, the road to 2027 is not simply about winning power. It is also about convincing Nigerians that elections can be credible, leadership can be judged on competence and political transitions can happen peacefully when voters’ choices are respected.
And, if the election meets that standard, he says he will accept whatever verdict Nigerians deliver.