2027: Obi warns against election manipulation, says he’s ready to die to defend his votes

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has vowed to protect his votes in the 2027 general election, declaring that he is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that Nigerians’ votes count.

Obi made the declaration on Thursday at a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, where he urged Nigerians to prevent a recurrence of what he described as the “irregularities” that characterised the 2023 general election.

The former Labour Party presidential candidate said those who might attempt to manipulate the electoral process in 2027 would face stronger resistance from voters.

He also called on Nigerians to turn out in large numbers on election day and exercise their franchise without fear of intimidation.

“Nobody will intimidate us again at the polling booth. If you get to any polling booth today, the highest number of officials you see is five. The average number of voters is 40 to 50. There is no way five people will intimidate 50 people.”

“This time all of us will rescue our country. Somebody said, ‘We are ready to die.’ Let me tell you, I’m ready to die too.

“We will make sure we have coordination to ensure that such intimidation does not arise. Yes, they will try to manipulate the IReV. But let me tell you, it will not be easy this time,” he said.

“There will be so many IReVs this time. If there is a network glitch, we will give them another one that has no glitch,” he said.

“By allowing them to continue, that glitch will glitch our lives. That is what we are suffering today,” Obi said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) came under criticism during the 2023 elections following difficulties associated with the electronic transmission and uploading of results on its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, rejected President Bola Tinubu’s victory and challenged the outcome in court.

However, the courts subsequently upheld Tinubu’s election.

Speaking at the event, tagged “Obi Talks Nigeria”, Obi maintained that greater coordination among voters would make it more difficult for anyone to intimidate them or interfere with the electoral process.

Also speaking, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, urged Nigerians to learn from previous elections and make choices based on competence and the ability of candidates to address the country’s challenges.

Kwankwaso argued that the number of states currently controlled by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would not guarantee victory for the party in 2027.

“I believe that Nigerians must not make mistakes again. This is the time to get it right. And anything to the contrary, I believe people, if they make a mistake, certainly people will regret making that mistake. Because it will be too costly for the people and the country.”

“Jonathan was the president, the sitting president lost the election. I’ve given you an example, especially those who think because they have over 30 governors, they cannot lose the election. That was a very big mistake,” he said.

(DAILY TRUST)