Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), declared that he is prepared to sacrifice his life to protect his votes in the 2027 general election.
He made the statement during “Obi Talks Nigeria,” a town hall session with voters in Port Harcourt on Thursday, while responding to questions regarding the credibility and outlook of the upcoming poll.
Obi previously contested the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party (LP) platform, finishing third behind former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the eventual winner, President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, Obi and his supporters have often claimed that there were anomalies and electoral manipulation in 2023.
The former governor of Anambra called on Nigerians to stop what he called “irregularities observed during the 2023 general election” from happening again in the Rivers town hall.
He stated that steps are being made to prevent voter intimidation and suppression during the election.
“Nobody will intimidate us again at the polling booth,” Obi said.
“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.”
Additionally, The NDC presidential candidate warned that any attempt to manipulate election results through the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2027 general election will face fierce resistance.
Backstory…
Peter Obi’s warning is rooted largely in the controversy that surrounded the 2023 presidential election, which he and the Labour Party challenged in court after he was declared third behind Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar.
The 2023 election was one of the most closely contested presidential polls since Nigeria’s return to democracy. Obi’s campaign generated significant support, particularly among young and first-time voters, and the Labour Party recorded more than six million presidential votes.
However, the election was also dogged by concerns over delays in uploading results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV), alleged voter suppression and other irregularities. Observers noted that the delays in transmitting and announcing results raised questions about transparency.
That experience has remained an important part of Obi’s political messaging. His campaign and supporters have repeatedly argued that winning votes is not enough; those votes must be properly recorded, transmitted and protected until the final result is declared.
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