Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), says the support of state governors will not determine the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during an interview with NOIRETV during a recent trip to the United States, the former Anambra governor expressed confidence in his chances of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the next general election.
His comments come amid concerns among some opposition supporters that the growing number of governors aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could give the president a significant advantage in 2027.
Obi, however, dismissed the notion, arguing that governors do not necessarily determine electoral outcomes.
“It doesn’t matter whether 36 governors are with the president,” he said.
Asked why he held that view, Obi pointed to his performance in the 2023 presidential election.
“I didn’t have one governor in the last election, and I won 12 states,” he said.
“Even after they’ve stolen two from me, I won 12 states.”
The former governor maintained that he would have won more states if not for alleged electoral irregularities.
“APC, PDP and Labour Party all won 12 states each, and in it, I lost two by the process of rigging,” he said.
“So I would have had 14.”
Obi said his focus ahead of the 2027 election would be on presenting solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges rather than building alliances with political office holders.
“What is important, and what this campaign is going to be all about, is how to make Nigeria work for the poor,” he said.
The NDC candidate has repeatedly insisted that he won the 2023 presidential election and has continued to advocate electoral reforms aimed at strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
