By our reporter
Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has stirred political debate with a fresh claim that Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was the true winner of the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State.
Speaking during a live discussion on X (formerly Twitter) Spaces, Amaechi agreed with participants that Peter Obi won the state but added that he did not know how the results were changed.
His remarks directly challenge the official results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which declared President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner in Rivers State. According to INEC’s figures, Tinubu polled 231,591 votes, Peter Obi received 175,071 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate trailed with 88,468 votes.
Amaechi, who served as Rivers governor from 2007 to 2015, did not provide evidence to substantiate his claim or explain the alleged alteration of results. However, his comments add weight to ongoing discussions about electoral transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Political analysts note that Rivers State was a key battleground in the 2023 presidential race, and any suggestion of irregularities could deepen public distrust in the electoral system. While several election petitions have been filed in various states, there has been no judicial ruling or official confirmation validating Amaechi’s statement.
The claim is likely to spark renewed interest among opposition supporters and election monitoring groups, who have long raised questions about the conduct and collation of results in certain states.
For now, the official INEC declaration stands, and Peter Obi remains recorded as the runner-up in Rivers State.
