Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has said his primary concern ahead of the 2027 general election is protecting voters’ choices rather than simply securing victory.
Obi made the statement during a thank-you tour of Kogi East Senatorial District, organised in support of the party’s senatorial candidate, Peter Ameh. He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission and other stakeholders to ensure that the election is free, fair, transparent and credible, with voters’ ballots properly counted.
The former Anambra State governor also called on INEC and the electorate to resist attempts to manipulate the electoral process in favour of any political party. He urged Nigerians to choose leaders based on competence, capacity, character, compassion and commitment to national development.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the Labour Party platform, said Nigeria needed leadership with a clear vision and the capacity to reverse what he described as the country’s backward trajectory. He said widespread hunger and poverty made it necessary for political leaders to focus on addressing the difficulties facing citizens.
He also called for an issue-based campaign in which presidential candidates would travel across the country and engage directly with communities about their challenges. Obi said he wanted the next government to prioritise keeping children in school, securing the environment and creating conditions that would enable Nigerians to earn decent livelihoods.
Ameh, the NDC candidate for Kogi East, said the senatorial district was blessed with fertile land and abundant mineral resources but remained affected by poor infrastructure. He cited the condition of access to Enjema despite the movement of more than 200 trucks from the coal site daily, and said stronger representation in the National Assembly was needed to address the challenges facing local communities.
Ameh also criticised the state of primary healthcare in Kogi State, describing the system across the nine local government areas as “dead”. He urged voters to examine the records and capacity of candidates before making their choices, adding that his priority was to place the interests of the people above personal interests.
