Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has warned political thugs against disrupting the polls, declaring that “nobody has monopoly of rascality.”
Obi urged Nigerians, particularly youths, to resist intimidation, reject vote-buying and protect their votes during the elections.
The former Anambra State governor spoke on the Global Digital Town programme on Sunday.
He said Nigerians deserved to elect their president, governors and other leaders without intimidation or manipulation.
“Nobody has monopoly of rascality. I urge everybody to come out. We want to have a president, governors elected by Nigerians this time,” Obi said.
He argued that the number of political thugs was insignificant compared with Nigeria’s nearly 100 million registered voters.
Obi therefore urged voters not to allow fear or inducements to determine their political choices.
He said politicians who offered money during elections were effectively taking away resources that should have been used to provide security, healthcare and education.
“The money you’re collecting, you’re actually giving up your future, a future of a better society by collecting that money. So please don’t collect it,” he said.
Obi lamented that Nigeria, at 66, remained underdeveloped, with widespread poverty and a high number of out-of-school children.
He said his objective was to change the situation and urged young Nigerians, particularly members of Generation Z, to support efforts aimed at building a better country.
The former governor said his campaign would work with other stakeholders to mobilise voters through polling-unit agents.
He described polling-unit agents as important because of their ability to mobilise and protect voters within their communities.
“Every polling agent is within his own space, within his own polling booth. So to be a polling agent means that you’ve worked hard in that space. Help us to mobilise the voters,” he said.
Obi also called for collaboration among political stakeholders, saying his ultimate objective was not personal ambition but the creation of a better society.
“All of us are contesting this election. I’m only the forefront figure; the chief servant, or the leader who is standing behind contesting the election. What we want is to have a better society,” he said.
He further argued that Nigeria’s economic hardship and insecurity affected citizens irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.
“To the best of my knowledge, no tribe buys bread cheaper. No tribe buys food cheaper. No religion buys bread cheaper. No religion buys food cheaper,” Obi said.
He added that insecurity was equally widespread across the country and required urgent action from the Federal Government.
The presidential hopeful also condemned the reported abduction of graduates undergoing the National Youth Service, questioning why criminals could operate freely within Nigeria.
He said security agencies must be adequately equipped and supported to confront kidnappers and other criminals.
“With available technology, with available everything, we should be able to find where people who are doing bad things are,” he said.
Obi urged the President to take a more direct approach to tackling insecurity, insisting that political leadership must be visible in the fight against criminality.
“I want the President to lead from the bush. I want the President to be available,” he said.
He also promised that, if elected, he would spend holidays and carry out most of his activities within Nigeria, travelling abroad only for critical engagements that would benefit the country.
