A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Peter Obi, has reaffirmed his long-held position that he won the 2023 presidential election, insisting that the outcome declared by the electoral system did not reflect the actual result as he perceived it.

Speaking during on the Naija Unfiltered podcast on Saturday, Obi maintained that his campaign was victorious despite the official declaration.

“I can show you today, as far as I’m concerned, I have run election for the office of the President of Nigeria and won. But the system decided otherwise and they know it,” he said.

He repeated the assertion for emphasis, stating: “And we won. I can show you today as far as I’m concerned. I have run election for the office of the President of Nigeria and won. But the system decided otherwise and they know it.”

Peter Obi contested for the 2023 presidential election under the platform of Labour Party. He secured six million votes.

Responding to questions surrounding the possible political alignments ahead of future elections, Peter Obi stated that discussions on running mates remain premature.

Obi made the remarks during an interview on Symfoni TV on Saturday, April 18, 2026, while addressing comments made at the recent convention of the African Democratic Congress.

The discussion referenced remarks by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who indicated that a potential future presidential bid would be his final attempt, raising speculation about possible political alliances.

Responding to a question on whether he would accept a vice-presidential slot if nominated alongside Atiku Abubakar, Obi said the matter was not currently under consideration.

“Well, at this stage, we’re not at that stage. Atiku Abubakar, I’ve always said is my respected leader and my dear elder brother and his statements I will always say is a statement of a leader and you look at what he used if. So we can’t say what will happen about tomorrow. I can only tell you that I’m contesting the election for the office of the president,” he said.

Obi emphasized that his focus remains on his presidential ambition, while acknowledging respect for senior political figures. He further noted that discussions within the political space often highlight the importance of prioritizing party ideology and national interest over individual ambitions.

When asked about the recurring emphasis by political actors on party-driven governance rather than individual interests, Obi agreed with the sentiment. “That’s it. Very important because we have people talk about power capture. Get power do this. What did they use it to do?” he stated.