Adeleke, who secured a total of 403,371 votes to defeat the incumbent governor of the state, Gboyega Oyetola, was declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, July 17, 2022. 

Reacting to Adeleke’s victory, Obi, in a statement, commended the governorship candidate of his party, Yusuf Lasun, who polled less than 3000 votes for his spirit of sportsmanship in the gubernatorial election.

“I congratulate the Labour party candidate, Rt. Hon. Lasun Sulaimon Yusuff and his running mate, Adeola Adekunle Atanda, for a hard-fought battle and their spirit of resolve and sportsmanship, despite the outcome,” he said.

The former governor of Anambra also called on his followers and supporters not to relent in their resolve to rescue the country.

Obi also urged his supporters to focus their efforts on the 2023 election, adding that the political impact of the Labour Party has been felt across the country.

Obi said, “To the Obidient Movement Family and our supporters nationwide, the outcome of this particular election is not a verdict on our exponentially growing strength nationwide, especially when viewed against the fact that we are barely one month old in the party and we had to contend with forces that have been entrenched in the state for the last two decades.

“However, within this very short period of only a few weeks, the Labour Party has made its presence and political impact felt nationally.

“We must strengthen our collective resolve not to relent in our noble march to take back our country. Much work remains to be done, hence we must focus the totality of our efforts now on the forthcoming 2023 General elections.

“In the fullness of time, our message of rescue and recovery will resonate throughout the length and breadth of the Nation and most Nigerian electorate will buy in into our mission to take back Nigeria, for the purpose of rescuing it from continued decline, shift the National psyche from consumption to production and from sharing dwindling resources to creating wealth and frontally combating poverty.”

Obi was the vice-presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 presidential election.