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Urges citizens to protect their votes
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The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged voters to look beyond ethnic and religious considerations when choosing the country’s next president, saying Nigeria requires a leader capable of bringing its people together and providing decisive leadership on security and development.
The candidate made national unity a major plank of his 2027 campaign, arguing that Nigeria’s ethnic and religious divisions have done little to shield citizens from the economic hardship and insecurity confronting the country.
Obi spoke on Sunday during a global digital town hall attended by Nigerians at home and abroad as he intensified mobilisation for the 2027 presidential election.
He said Nigerians across different regions and faiths were facing essentially the same challenges, making unity a necessity for the country’s progress.
Obi said, “Our country needs unity. At present, we are not united. We are divided along ethnic and religious lines, yet, to the best of my knowledge, no tribe buys bread at a lower price, and no tribe buys fuel at a lower price.
“Similarly, no religion buys bread or fuel at a lower price. The poverty affecting our country today is widespread across the entire nation.
“No tribe enjoys greater security than another. Insecurity affects every part of the country.”
The NDC candidate said the prevailing challenges had made it necessary for Nigerians to reconsider the basis upon which political leaders were elected, insisting that the country needed a president who would provide leadership beyond sectional interests.
He also linked national unity to the ability of government to confront insecurity, saying security agencies must be properly equipped and supported to protect citizens.
“We have security agencies, and they must function effectively. We must provide them with the logistics they need to perform their duties and ensure that we stand by them,” he said.
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Obi added that the welfare of security personnel and their families must also receive attention, particularly where officers become casualties in the line of duty.
“We must make certain that they are properly equipped and that their families are cared for if anything happens to them or they become unavailable. We need a president who will lead from the front,” he said.
However, Obi said the success of any political change would depend largely on the ability of Nigerians to protect their votes during the 2027 election.
He urged voters not only to cast their ballots but to remain at polling units until the votes were counted, stressing that citizens must take an active role in safeguarding the electoral process.
The former governor also cautioned voters against allowing financial inducement or intimidation to influence their choices, arguing that money deployed for vote buying could otherwise be used to address critical national needs.
“If you accept money from them, that is money they would otherwise have spent on security, hospitals, and education,” Obi said.
He disclosed that his campaign was expanding its network of polling agents across the country and would work with other political parties and stakeholders to promote credible elections.
Obi further charged his supporters to mobilise voters at the grassroots and ensure that polling agents were adequately deployed across the country.
He said Nigerians must remain vigilant on election day and insist that every vote cast is counted, stressing that citizens have a responsibility to protect the electoral process from manipulation.
The town hall, which was streamed on digital platforms including Zoom and YouTube, formed part of the NDC candidate’s mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
