Atiku, Peter Obi, and others lost the 2023 elections due to over-confidence — President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has described former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, and other key opposition figures as victims of overconfidence.

Although the president did not mention their names specifically, he said while the All Progressives Congress (APC) was working hard to retain power, the combined opposition was basking in overconfidence.

Atiku, who contested the Presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came second, while Obi of the Labour Party came third.

Speaking at his residence in the State House, Abuja, where he received the Progressive Governors Forum led by their Chairman, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, Buhari said: “They were already telling their foreign backers that they would defeat the APC. Our Party blended confidence with caution, we worked hard and won.

Now, their overconfidence is creating more problems for the opposition than anyone else.

They are finding it hard to convince those who supported them from the outside why they are unable to beat us.

A combination of overconfidence, complacency, and bad tactical moves made them lose, plain and clear. This has created more problems in their camp. Why did they fail to remove us?”

Speaking in response to an issue raised by Governor Bagudu, President Buhari said, “An important reason I congratulate Asiwaju on winning is that the opposition got support and false hope from outside and went on to create the impression that they will win, that they will defeat us. How more wrong could anyone be?” he asked. President Buhari spoke at length about his retirement proposal, saying that he intended to be at home in Daura for six months before moving eventually to Kaduna.