Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said he will concede defeat in the 2027 presidential election if the poll is free, fair and credible.
Obi made the declaration during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, insisting that he would respect the choice of Nigerians if they opted for another candidate. 
“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will because it’s an election. It’s the people that would say who they want to serve, and I will respect the will of the people; that’s democracy,” he said.
However, the former Anambra State governor maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, insisting that those who conducted the poll were aware of what transpired.
“I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened,” Obi said.
‘Presidency Must Not Be About Tribe, Religion’
Addressing the argument that Nigeria’s presidency should operate on a “turn-by-turn” basis among regions, Obi said electoral choices should be based on competence rather than ethnicity or religion.
He argued that he possesses the qualifications and experience required to lead the country, adding that his exposure to institutions and systems around the world had prepared him for the presidency.
“Election should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria. I have the competence,” he said.
Obi also highlighted his educational background, citing studies at institutions including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Kellogg.
He challenged anyone with evidence questioning the authenticity of his qualifications to come forward, saying he would withdraw from the presidential race if any of his certificates were proven to be false.
“If they find anyone wrong, I will drop from the race,” he said.
Obi Questions Lack of Youth Representation
The NDC candidate also criticised what he described as the prolonged absence of younger Nigerians from the presidency since independence.
According to Obi, no Nigerian born after 1960 has served as president despite the country’s large youthful population.
“Since 1960, nobody born outside 1960 has been president of Nigeria. This is 66 years of independence; no other country in the world has had this happen to, and they tell youths they’re the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.
