Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has declared that he is prepared to risk his life to protect his votes in the 2027 general election.
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 repeat of what he described as the “irregularities” that characterised the 2023 election.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had rejected the declaration of President Bola Tinubu as winner of the 2023 presidential election and challenged the outcome in court. Tinubu’s victory was subsequently upheld by the courts.
Speaking at the event tagged “Obi Talks Nigeria,” Obi said efforts by individuals to manipulate the 2027 election would not succeed.
He urged Nigerians to turn out en masse and exercise their franchise, assuring supporters that they would not be intimidated or prevented from having their votes counted.
“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.”
He added: “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.”
Obi also warned against a repeat of the challenges associated with the electronic transmission of results through the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
“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.
On his part, NDC Vice Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, urged Nigerians not to repeat past mistakes by failing to elect competent leaders capable of addressing the country’s challenges.
Kwankwaso said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), despite controlling more than 30 states, could still lose the 2027 election.
“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.”
He cited the 2015 presidential election as an example, saying:
“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.
