Rufai Oseni challenges Peter Obi over his 2023 election claim, urging him to provide evidence and backend data to support his assertion
Arise News anchor, Rufai Oseni, has challenged the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, over his claim concerning the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
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Oseni said Obi should be cautious about making claims that he could not support with evidence, arguing that the absence of verifiable proof could undermine the credibility of such statements.
The broadcaster made the remarks while reacting to Obi’s recent comment on the 2023 election during a programme on Arise Television.
Obi had reportedly said there was no evidence to prove his claim that he won the presidential election while running on the platform of the Labour Party.
Reacting, Oseni urged the former Anambra State governor to provide evidence if he maintained that he won the election.
“Mr Peter Obi, it is best you do not say things if you do not have the evidence. I must repeat it, because when you say that I won the election, you don’t have the evidence to back it up, then people do not take what you say seriously,” Oseni said.
Oseni also questioned whether Obi had conducted his own detailed analysis of the 2023 presidential election results before making the claim.
He asked the NDC candidate to explain whether his team had compiled its own data and backend analysis capable of supporting the assertion that he won the election.
“Didn’t you have backend analysis of result by result before you made the claim? Where are all your own data spreadsheets on the backend that assert your claim? Where is your own backend collation that asserts your claim?” he asked.
The broadcaster maintained that simply declaring victory was not enough without supporting evidence.
According to him, Obi might believe that he won the election, but such a claim would carry little weight without data or other evidence capable of backing it up.
Oseni’s comments centred on the need for political figures to support major electoral claims with verifiable information, particularly when discussing the outcome of a closely contested presidential election.
His remarks come as debate over the 2023 presidential election continues to feature prominently in Nigeria’s political discourse ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While Obi has continued to discuss the outcome of the 2023 election, Oseni’s criticism focused specifically on the need for evidence to support any assertion that a candidate won the poll.
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The exchange highlights the continuing political sensitivity surrounding the 2023 presidential election and the importance of credible data in shaping public debate over its outcome.
