Oshiomhole Reveals Why Peter Obi Sh*cked Tinubu In Lagos During 2023 Election

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North in the National Assembly, has attributed Peter Obi’s victory over President Bola Tinubu in Lagos during the 2023 presidential election to the hardship caused by the naira redesign policy introduced under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking during an interview on TVC on Monday, Oshiomhole argued that the cash scarcity triggered by the policy created widespread public frustration, leading many Lagos voters to reject the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polls.

According to the former Edo State governor, the circumstances surrounding the naira redesign unexpectedly boosted support for the Labour Party presidential candidate.

“I have said this before, although many people may disagree with me. Peter Obi emerged because of an unusual situation in which the ruling party practically worked against itself and made it difficult for its own candidate to succeed. That confusion translated into votes for Peter Obi,” Oshiomhole said.

He blamed the situation on the currency redesign policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria under former Governor Godwin Emefiele during Buhari’s administration.

According to Oshiomhole, the policy effectively deprived many Nigerians of access to their own money despite having funds in their bank accounts.

“Former President Muhammadu Buhari suddenly changed the design of the currency, and people could no longer access the money they had saved in banks. Nigerians spent entire nights at ATMs hoping to withdraw as little as ₦10,000, and after some time, even the machines had no cash,” he stated.

He added that many residents were forced to rely on Point-of-Sale (POS) operators to obtain cash, further fueling public resentment.

Recalling the mood at the time, Oshiomhole said many Nigerians questioned why they were expected to support the ruling party after enduring long queues to access cash and purchase fuel.

“I remember someone saying, ‘After spending the whole night trying to withdraw ₦5,000 and then standing in another queue for days just to buy 10 litres of petrol, how do you expect people to still queue on election day to vote for you?’ That statement captured the public mood perfectly,” he said.

Oshiomhole maintained that the widespread anger generated by the cash shortage ultimately translated into electoral losses for the APC in Lagos, allowing Peter Obi to defeat Tinubu in the state during the presidential election.