Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has issued a strong warning to individuals planning to manipulate the upcoming 2027 general elections, vowing to lead a lawful resistance against any form of rigging.
Defection and Declaration in Enugu
On Wednesday afternoon in Enugu State, Peter Obi, who was the Labour Party flagbearer in the 2023 presidential election and a former Governor of Anambra State, made this declaration. The event was significant as it also served as the platform where he announced his move from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
His statement comes against the backdrop of the contentious 2023 polls, which saw President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerge victorious. That election was widely disputed by opposition parties, including Obi's former party, with allegations of extensive electoral malpractice and rigging marring the process.
A Vow Against Democratic Subversion
Addressing the audience, Obi expressed his determination to prevent a repeat of such events. He criticized those who have benefited from democracy but now engage in acts that undermine it.
"We have all watched those who benefited from our democracy, sometimes now become accessories to destroying our democracy, either through coercion and gangsterism against the opposition. We cannot allow this to happen. We would resist it," Obi stated emphatically.
He further expressed disappointment, saying, "I find it disappointing that people who benefited our democracy be part of celebrating electoral fraud publicly. And we are saying that those who are planning to rig elections in Nigeria come 2027, we would resist it by every means lawful."
Critique of INEC and Call for Stronger Institutions
Obi also turned his attention to the electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He faulted the commission for what he described as a failure to uphold electoral integrity, shun vices, and prevent unqualified candidates from contesting.
He linked the potential for future malpractice to weak institutions. "We are urging this to happen because we have weak institutions like INEC, which were urging them in the coming election," he noted, calling for strict adherence to rules.
A key part of his proposed solution is verifying the educational qualifications of candidates before elections. "We must do whatever it is to follow rules and regulations, starting by educational qualification for eligibility to contest for any elections... We can no longer be where they are asking whether this person went to school or not," Obi asserted.
He emphasized the need for pre-election verification: "We have one year now to determine who went and didn't go, we had they attended and when they left. We don't want it, something we got after election, pre-election, to verify everybody who wants to contest the election for Nigeria. And we must follow that."
This move and strong stance by a key political figure set the stage for what promises to be a highly scrutinized and fiercely contested 2027 electoral cycle in Nigeria.
