The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the 2027 general elections are free, fair, transparent, and credible.
Obi made the call on Sunday in Ogugu, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, during a thank-you tour organized for Ameh following his emergence as the NDC senatorial candidate for Kogi East.
Obi, who was warmly received by thousands of his supporters and party loyalists in Ogugu, urged INEC to resist any attempt to manipulate the electoral process in favor of any political party, stressing that the wishes of Nigerian voters must be respected.
He said, “The reception is very warm. What is most important is that we want this campaign to be issue-based. We want all candidates to go round Nigeria and ask questions about the challenges confronting the people.
“We want to change the dynamics where people go around and ask Nigerians about their problems. When I was coming to Kogi State today, I stopped at Ugbolafo, Otukpa Junction, and asked some of our elderly people what their challenges were. This is what I want other presidential candidates to do.
“I am moving around Nigeria to see how we can do the right thing. I want the next set of governance to focus on how our children will be in school, how our environment will be secured, and how our people can earn a decent living.”
Addressing newsmen, Obi expressed concern over the worsening economic and social conditions in the country, saying Nigeria needed visionary leadership capable of taking the country out of its current difficulties.
According to him, “I am not worried about what the outcome of the 2027 general election will be. What worries me is the people and how they will protect their votes on election day.
“The votes of the people must be counted. There is hunger and poverty in the land, and that is why I came here to see what we can do to ameliorate the suffering of our people.
“My charge to the people here is that they must ensure that there is a free, fair, and credible election. This time around, our votes must count. Nigerians must elect those who will lead them.”
Obi called on voters to choose leaders based on competence, capacity, character, compassion, and commitment to national development.
“They must do it based on competence, capacity, character, compassion, and commitment to turning Nigeria around,” he said.
He also expressed concern about Nigerians’ living standards, particularly in rural areas, stressing that the country’s tremendous agricultural potential had not been fully utilized.
“As I moved around, I felt pain seeing how Nigerians are living. Look at our rural areas with huge farmlands. Nobody is supporting the farmers in all ramifications to enable them to produce the food we need to feed the nation,” Obi said.
He emphasized that Nigeria required leadership with a clear vision and the capacity to reverse what he described as the country’s backward trajectory.
