Obi’ll widen 2023 Lagos victory in 2027 — NDC

The Nigeria Democratic Congress says Peter Obi could record a wider victory over President Bola Tinubu in Lagos State if the 2027 presidential election is conducted without voter intimidation, inducement or other irregularities.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, made the claim while discussing the NDC’s preparations for the 2027 elections, pointing to Obi’s performance in Lagos during the 2023 presidential poll.

Obi, then the Labour Party candidate, secured 582,454 votes in Lagos, narrowly ahead of Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, who polled 572,606 votes, according to results published by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Director said the result demonstrated that the political preferences of Lagos voters could shift despite the state’s longstanding association with Tinubu.

“Obi didn’t win Lagos by magic. It was a political reality,” he said.

He added that the NDC expected a larger margin for Obi in 2027 if voters were allowed to cast their ballots freely.

“In 2027, if there is a free and fair election without voter intimidation, Peter Obi will win, defeat President Bola Tinubu and the APC again by a wider margin in Lagos,” Director said.

The party official also accused political actors of using violence, inducement and intimidation during elections, and said the NDC was preparing its structures to respond to such challenges.

“That is why we are saying if they are sure of themselves, let us go head-to-head without the introduction of violence, inducement or irregularities,” he said.

Director said the party had drawn lessons from the 2023 election and would deploy them in the next presidential contest.

The NDC’s Lagos Central senatorial candidate, Ladipo Johnson, similarly predicted another victory for Obi, attributing his expectation partly to what he described as dissatisfaction with the performance of the Tinubu administration.

Johnson also alleged that the opposition did not have agents across all polling locations in 2023, which he claimed contributed to the loss of votes.

He said the party had since expanded its political base and would work to ensure that votes cast by Nigerians were properly accounted for.

“We’re stronger together and we will ensure that the votes of the people of each state count,” Johnson said.

Johnson identified voter intimidation, harassment and vote buying as issues the opposition would have to contend with in 2027.

He alleged that opposition campaign materials were sometimes destroyed by thugs and questioned why a party controlling several state governments would resort to such tactics.

The NDC’s comments come after the party formally adopted Obi as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election at its special convention in Abuja in May. The party subsequently affirmed the Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket.

In the 2023 presidential election in Lagos, Obi won nine of the state’s 20 local government areas, including Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu, Ojo and Alimosho.

Tinubu won the remaining 11 local government areas, including Agege, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Mushin and Surulere.

The Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, received 75,750 votes, while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party secured 8,442 votes.

The NDC’s projection is a political claim rather than an established election outcome. The 2027 presidential election has yet to take place, and its result will depend on the votes cast and declared by the electoral authorities.