Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, has provided explanations for not attending the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu is set to be inaugurated as the 16th democratically elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria today at Eagle Square in Abuja.
In a statement conveyed by his media aide, Tai Obasi, during a press conference in Abuja, Obi expressed that it would be “extremely weird” for him to attend Tinubu’s inauguration while simultaneously challenging his electoral victory in court.
Obasi acknowledged Obi’s commitment to peace and unity in the country but emphasized that attending the ceremony under such circumstances would be inconsistent and unreasonable.
However, Obasi did not confirm whether the Labour Party leadership or Obi himself received individual invitations to the swearing-in event.
He stated, “I can’t confirm if he received an invitation to the swearing-in ceremony. But I can assure you that he won’t be there.”
Addressing rumors of a planned demonstration before the inauguration, Obasi denied any knowledge of such plans and asserted that Obi was not aware of any proposed protests.
He added, “He is Obi, and his followers are obedient. While they may act independently at times, despite efforts to maintain calm, they are angered by the manipulation against Obi, who has given them so much hope. They have stood by him faithfully.”
