Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has declared that he is prepared to risk his life to defend his vote in the 2027 general elections.
Obi made the declaration during a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, where he urged Nigerians to resist intimidation and remain resolute at polling stations when they cast their ballots.
The former Anambra State governor also warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, against any attempt to manipulate or alter election results, stressing that voters must be able to protect the integrity of their votes.
According to Obi, the number of voters at polling units would make it difficult for election officials to intimidate or control citizens if Nigerians collectively stand their ground.
He said:
“No one will scare us anymore at the polling station. If you go to any polling booth today, you will see the most officials, and there will be five of them.
“On average, there are 40 to 50 voters. Five people can’t scare or control 50 people. This time, we will all save our country together. Someone said, ‘We are ready to die.’ Let me tell you, I’m ready to die too.
“We will make sure there is good communication so that this kind of intimidation doesn’t happen. Yes, they will attempt to influence the IReV. But let me tell you, this time it won’t be easy. There will be a lot of IReVs this time.
“If there’s a problem with the network, we’ll provide them with a new one that doesn’t have the problem.
“By letting them keep going, that glitch will mess up our lives. That is what we are suffering today.”
Obi’s comments come as political parties and prospective candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with the credibility of the electoral process, protection of votes and the transmission of results expected to remain major issues in the buildup to the polls.
He further called on citizens to participate actively in the electoral process and ensure that their votes are protected from the polling unit through the result-transmission process.
