The opposition lost the 2023 presidential election due to overconfidence. — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday that while the All Progressives Congress (APC) fought hard to retain power in the 2023 elections, the combined opposition was overconfident.

According to his spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari spoke in the State House when he received the Progressive Governors’ Forum, led by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu.

“They were already promising their foreign supporters that they would defeat the APC.” We worked hard and won because our Party combined confidence with caution. Their arrogance is now causing more issues for the opposition than for anyone else. They are having difficulty convincing those who have backed them from the outside why they are unable to defeat us.

“They lost because of a combination of overconfidence, complacency, and poor tactical decisions.” This has exacerbated the situation in their camp. “Why didn’t they remove us?” the President was quoted as saying.

In answer to a question from Bagudu, Buhari stated, “An important reason I congratulate Asiwaju on winning is because 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 much more wrong could anyone be?” he wondered.

The President charged the Progressive Governors with sticking together and discussing concerns freely among themselves.

“Continue to try and solve problems.” Be brave enough to debate them openly among yourselves. “This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria,” stated the President, asking that “you (Governors) have a programme to meet regularly and discuss issues and how to maintain the Party nationwide.”

In addition to Kebbi, governors from Plateau, Imo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun, and Nasarawa were present.

The Deputy Governors of Kano, Gombe, Borno, and Ebonyi, as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, were present.