During a recent interview, Ali Modu Sheriff shared his thoughts about why Peter Obi won in Lagos State during the 2023 presidential election.

Sheriff explained that Peter Obi didn’t have control over any state while running under the Labour Party. He believes Obi’s support mostly came from his ethnic group—the Igbos. According to him, they naturally voted for their own.

When the interviewer, Seun Okinbaloye, pointed out that Peter Obi won in Lagos, Sheriff quickly responded by saying that there are more Igbos living in Lagos than people from any other tribe. He mentioned that since moving back from England in 1980, he has lived in Lagos and observed this trend himself.

Seun asked whether Yoruba people also supported Peter Obi, but Sheriff insisted that if they did, their numbers were very small.

Seun challenged this claim by pointing out that President Tinubu lost in Lagos, his home state, while Atiku and Obi both won in their own home states. He added that winning elections in Nigeria isn’t only about controlling a state—it’s about the number of votes you can gather.

Sheriff agreed that winning an election depends on numbers. He said you need to have the support of many people if you want to win.