Posted by Chinenye on Fri 31st Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
Presidential candidate Peter Obi has placed the responsibility for credible elections on Nigerian voters, arguing that the people’s determination will shape the outcome.
(Peter Obi. Photo by The Sun Nigeria)
Mr. Peter Obi, the NDC's presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, has stated that the power to ensure credible elections rests with the Nigerian people, insisting that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will only act in accordance with the electorate's resolve.
Obi spoke with journalists on Friday after attending the funeral service of the late Pa Simon Okorie Abaa, father of Chief Linus Okorie, the NDC senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South, at Isiama Primary School in Onicha Igboeze, Onicha Local Government Area, Ebonyi State.
Speaking on preparations for the 2027 general election, Obi said his confidence lies not in INEC alone but in Nigerians' determination to defend their votes.
He explained that the real question is not whether he trusts INEC, but whether he still has confidence in the people, since it is the people who will ultimately determine what INEC does, adding that if Nigerians insist their votes must count, then they will count.
He urged Nigerians to reflect on the current state of the country and consider what the future holds for their children under the current trajectory, questioning whether the nation can continue in its present direction.
He said anyone advocating for change in Nigeria today is making an ultimate sacrifice, stressing that the country cannot continue as it is.
The former Anambra State governor lamented the worsening economic situation, saying poverty and hunger have reached alarming levels, noting that both are rising daily and that one doesn't need World Bank reports to see it, as the reality is visible in villages across the country.
He referenced reports that about 70 million Nigerians are currently facing acute hunger, questioning what is being done about it and insisting the situation cannot be allowed to continue.
On concerns that opposition supporters may face intimidation and harassment ahead of the elections, Obi said every Nigerian is already being harassed by hunger and by the deteriorating conditions in the country, noting that everyone is affected regardless of political affiliation.
He said it was time for Nigerians to tell those responsible for their hardship that enough is enough.
Obi described his relationship with Linus Okorie as longstanding, recalling that they had worked together in the Labour Party before both moved to the NDC, describing this shared history as evidence of a close relationship.
He said they had gathered to pay their last respects to Okorie's late father, praying that God would grant the deceased eternal rest and give the family the strength to bear what he described as an irreplaceable loss, while asking God to continue blessing the family.