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The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, has promised his supporters and party faithful that nobody would intimidate them again or subvert their will at the polling booths during the 2027 elections.
Obi spoke in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, during a town hall meeting with voters in the state, tagged “Obi Talks Nigeria”.
The presidential candidate emphasised that the 2027 general election cannot be easily manipulated like that of 2023.
He said: “Nobody will intimidate us again at the polling booth. If you get to any polling booth today, the highest number of officials you see in any polling booth is five.
“The average number of voters is 40 to 50. There’s no way five people will intimidate 50 people. And we will make sure we have coordination to ensure that such intimidation does not arise.
“The people who are in these polling booths are from families that are suffering from hunger. Some of the policemen, their children are not in school. All they want is for you to defend and demand that your vote must count.
“And that is the demand we are going to make aggressively. Yes, they will try to manipulate the IReV. But, let me tell you, it will not be easy this time.”
Obi stated that voters would not allow any manipulation on the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal, IReV, adding that many of the portals would be provided.
He said: “There will be so many IReVs this time. This time around, if there is network glitch, we will give them another one that has no glitch.
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“By allowing them to continue, that glitch will glitch our lives. That’s what we are suffering today. 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.”
However, the Vice-Presidential Candidate of the party, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said the nation at this point needs a president who is committed, strong and vibrant to meet the needs of the nation.
Kwankwaso said it was time for the nation to get leadership right, adding that many of those aspiring to the hallowed office of the President lack experience.
He said: “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.
“Because in this journey of OK Movement, we have young men and women who will mobilize, who will go and vote, and who will protect the votes to ensure that every vote in this country counts. So, we thank almighty Allah for our movements. Many of these people have no experience, or they want to forget history.”
Kwankwaso noted that the ruling party would lose the election despite having 30 state governors, saying that former President Goodluck Jonathan lost the election even while in power.
“By the grace of God, all of them (governors), especially the ones in the North, because I studied the trend; the trend is those governors and their party have performed woefully, to the extent that it is very difficult for them even to come out and campaign. Why? Because from top to bottom, did absolutely nothing.
“And worst is the issue of insecurity, especially in northern Nigeria today. So, many people are being killed and nobody is worried about it. As we sit here comfortably, unfortunately, in the villages and towns, especially in northern Nigeria today, many people, innocent people are in the hands of bandits.”
