2027 Elections: Peter Obi Unveils Plan to Ensure Votes Count

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has unveiled a plan to independently monitor and transmit results from polling units during the 2027 general election, saying the move is aimed at ensuring that every vote cast by Nigerians counts.

Obi disclosed this during an interview with Arise TV on Thursday, where he explained that his team would establish a situation room to receive results directly from polling units.

According to him, the proposed arrangement would operate alongside the official transmission system of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), allowing his team to independently verify results recorded at polling units.

“We must make sure that at every polling unit, the votes are counted, the votes are recorded properly, the votes are transmitted properly. And we will have even a dual transmission,” Obi said.

He explained that while results would be transmitted through the designated INEC platform, his team would simultaneously receive the results through its own system.

Obi said the objective was to prevent situations where results announced during the collation process did not correspond with figures recorded at the polling units.

“All we are saying is that this time around, we will make sure that in every polling unit, we must have a system that transmits to our own situation room the correct results,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor stressed that the proposed system should not be interpreted as an attempt to create a parallel electoral process.

He said other organisations could also establish similar monitoring mechanisms, adding that multiple independent records could help strengthen transparency and make it more difficult for results that did not originate from polling units to be presented as genuine.

Obi also maintained that Nigeria was capable of conducting free, fair and transparent elections, citing Ghana and other countries as examples.

“There’s nothing difficult in having a simple, free, transparent election. It happens in Ghana, it happens everywhere,” he said.

The NDC candidate also clarified his recent statement in Port Harcourt that he was prepared to “die” for his votes in the 2027 election.

Obi said the comment was symbolic and should not be interpreted as a call for violence or an attempt to incite young Nigerians.

He explained that the statement was made in response to a supporter who declared that Nigerians were prepared to defend their votes.

According to Obi, his response was intended to demonstrate solidarity with supporters and his determination to protect the integrity of votes cast by Nigerians.

He insisted that the focus should be on ensuring that votes are properly counted, recorded and transmitted.

Obi further described the 2027 election as a contest that should focus on the interests and choices of Nigerians rather than being defined solely by political parties.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that the electoral process reflects the genuine choices of voters, stressing that the credibility of the 2027 election would depend largely on accurate counting, recording, transmission and collation of results.