Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi who is a former governor of anambra state, has vowed to defend the votes cast for his party in the upcoming 2027 general election, insisting that Nigerian voters should not be intimidated at polling units.
Obi made the declaration on Thursday, September 3, 2026 during a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organised under the theme “Obi Talks Nigeria.” The engagement provided an opportunity for the presidential candidate to interact with voters and discuss the country’s political direction ahead of the next general election.
The former Anambra State governor told participants that Nigerians have a responsibility to take an active interest in the electoral process. He urged voters to ensure that their ballots are not only cast but also properly counted and reflected in the final results.
“Nobody will intimidate us again at the polling booth,” Obi said while addressing the gathering.
He argued that voters at polling units often outnumber election officials by a significant margin. According to him, citizens can use their collective presence to discourage intimidation and insist on a transparent voting and counting process.
Obi also spoke about his personal willingness and readiness to defend the electoral choices of Nigerians. He said he was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice if that became necessary in the course of protecting votes freely cast during the election.
“Somebody said, ‘We are ready to die.’ Let me tell you, I’m ready to die too,” he said.
The statement comes as political parties and prospective candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 elections. Electoral transparency, voter participation, security and the protection of ballots are expected to remain major issues as political campaigns and grassroots mobilisation gather momentum.
Obi Raises Concerns About INEC’s IReV System
During the Port Harcourt meeting, Obi also raised concerns about the use of technology in the electoral process, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal, commonly known as IReV.
The platform is designed to provide electronic access to polling-unit election results. Obi suggested that his political movement was preparing for potential technical challenges involving the system during the 2027 election.
He argued that any technical difficulty affecting the electronic transmission or viewing of results should not prevent election results from being properly recorded, verified and protected.
According to reports from the meeting, Obi also indicated that measures were being considered to make attempts to interfere with the results-viewing process more difficult.
The emphasis on vote protection is particularly significant given Obi’s experience during the 2023 presidential election. He contested that election on the platform of the Labour Party and finished third in the final result announced by INEC, behind Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Following the 2023 election, Obi and his legal team challenged the result in court, raising allegations concerning irregularities in the electoral process. The legal challenges did not result in the presidential election outcome being overturned.
For the 2027 contest, Obi is now seeking the presidency under the NDC following a political realignment involving former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. The two politicians have emerged as the NDC’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates ahead of the election.
The Obi-Kwankwaso ticket has subsequently stepped up its political activities and grassroots engagement as the party seeks to establish a stronger presence across different parts of the country.
Obi Urges Voters to Remain Active
At the Port Harcourt town hall, Obi encouraged voters to take responsibility for monitoring the electoral process at the grassroots level.
He urged citizens to participate in the voting process, remain attentive during the counting of ballots and ensure that results recorded at individual polling units accurately correspond with the votes cast.
The NDC candidate also emphasised the importance of creating an environment where voters can participate freely and without fear. He argued that intimidation should not determine who is able to vote or influence the outcome of an election.
Concerns about electoral violence and voter intimidation have featured prominently in discussions surrounding Nigeria’s democratic process. Political parties, election observers and civil society organisations have repeatedly called for peaceful elections and the protection of voters and electoral officials.
Obi’s latest remarks are therefore likely to generate further political debate as preparations for 2027 continue. His comments also highlight the increasing attention opposition parties are placing on polling-unit mobilisation and the protection of votes.
The Port Harcourt engagement formed part of the NDC’s broader political activities ahead of the election. Kwankwaso has also participated in political engagements in Rivers State as the party seeks to consolidate its support across the South-South region.
As the 2027 election draws closer, political parties are expected to increase their grassroots campaigns and voter mobilisation efforts. Issues including electoral technology, voter turnout, transparency, security and the credibility of election results are likely to remain central to the national political conversation.
For Obi and the NDC, the message from Port Harcourt was a call for voters to participate confidently in the democratic process, reject intimidation and pay close attention to their votes from the moment ballots are cast until results are counted and transmitted.
