Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has called on Nigerians to vote against politicians who breach electoral peace agreements ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja at the National Peace Accord signing ceremony organised by the National Peace Committee in collaboration with The Kukah Centre.
The former Anambra State governor said politicians who fail to honour their commitments to peaceful elections should face the consequences through the ballot box.
“The punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” Obi said.
Obi also called on political parties and their candidates to conduct peaceful and issue-based campaigns, with emphasis on the challenges affecting Nigerians.
“We have a peaceful, issue-based campaign. We must, for the sake of this country, ensure that our conduct reflects the office we’re seeking. We must do the right thing and campaign on issues that Nigerians are going through today,” he said.
He stressed that no Nigerian should lose their life because of an election, urging politicians to demonstrate responsible conduct without waiting for peace agreements to compel them to act appropriately.
Obi further called on relevant stakeholders to visit and support the families of those who lost their lives during the recent Osun State governorship election.
“Let us not forget those who died in ensuring that the election in Osun was achieved, the way it went. We should visit them, console their families, remain prayerful and conduct ourselves in a way that in our democracy, nobody needs to die for an election,” he said.
Addressing the electoral system, Obi said he remained committed to participating in the process because he wanted to contribute to changing it.
“Because I want to change the process, I have to go through it, so I have to believe in it,” he said.
He said his primary concern ahead of the 2027 election was ensuring that Nigerians were able to freely choose their leaders and that their votes were properly counted.
“I don’t have any fear, except to say that please, for the sake of the children of Nigeria, can we have an election where people’s vote will count?” he asked.
Obi urged political actors to make the concerns of Nigerians the centre of their campaigns, particularly issues such as economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and the rising cost of living.
BACKSTORY:
The call comes as political parties and candidates begin preparations for the 2027 general elections, with concerns over electoral violence and the conduct of political campaigns remaining major issues.
Peter Obi made the remarks during the National Peace Accord signing ceremony in Abuja, organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre.
The peace accord is aimed at encouraging political parties and candidates to commit to peaceful elections and responsible campaigns. Obi stressed that political leaders should be held accountable for their conduct and urged voters to use their ballots to reject candidates who fail to uphold commitments to peace.
He also called for campaigns to focus on pressing national issues, including the economy, insecurity, unemployment and the rising cost of living, rather than divisive politics.
