INEC chairman and I know ourselves, he worked under me - Peter Obi

The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has disclosed that he and Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), are no strangers to each other.

According to Obi, Yakubu worked in a Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) committee he (Obi) chaired before he became the Chairman of the electoral commission.

However, the former Anambra State governor, who reiterated that he would never give anyone money to do the wrong thing, said he never curry favour with Yakubu since he became the INEC Chairman.

Yakubu came under fire after declaring the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, winner of the February 25 elections despite controversies over the failure to upload polling units results on the results viewing portal in real-time as promised before the election.

Obi and his party have not spared the INEC Chairman from blame, claiming that he failed to justify the money given to his commission following what they described as the worst election in the history of the country.

Meanwhile, speaking during the launch of a book titled, ‘Peter Obi: Many Voices, One Perspective,’ in Awka, Anambra State capital on Friday, May 12, 2023, the presidential candidate urged the people to always do what is right, adding that he's not desperate to lead.

He said, “For three years I was in court in Anambra to reclaim my governorship, just to challenge the process. Many people tried to discourage me, but I said even if the entire four-year tenure elapsed for us to prove a point and correct the process, I will be fulfilled.

“My argument is that, let’s do what is right. I always tell everyone that I will not give people money to do the wrong thing. I have been the chairman of a committee; TETFUND committee, and Prof Mahmood was my member. We know ourselves, but when he became INEC chairman, I have never met him. I told him, you’re an umpire, just do what is right.

“If you have the chance to do the right thing, and you insist on perpetuating anarchy, then, it will consume everybody one day. I insist that we must do the right thing.”

Pulse reports that Obi has refused to concede defeat to the President-elect and is currently challenging the outcome of the election at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.