The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged residents of Rivers State to participate fully in the 2027 general election and ensure their votes are counted.
Obi made the call in a statement posted on X on Friday, following his participation in a town hall meeting organised by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
The former Anambra State governor said the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss some of the major challenges confronting Nigerians, including unemployment, healthcare, education, insecurity and limited economic opportunities.
Obi said an administration led by him would place education, healthcare and poverty reduction at the centre of its development agenda.
He pointed to developments in countries including Bangladesh, Indonesia and India as examples of how purposeful leadership and targeted policies could transform economies and improve living standards.
According to Obi, Bangladesh’s progress in rice production, Indonesia’s growth in small and medium-sized enterprises and India’s efforts to reduce poverty demonstrated the impact that focused governance could have on national development.
He said he was particularly encouraged by what he described as the commitment of Rivers residents to participate in the 2027 election and demand that their votes be respected.
“My greatest elation today came from the renewed commitment I saw among the good people of Rivers State to participate massively in the 2027 elections and, more importantly, to ensure that their votes are counted and the people’s mandate is respected,” Obi said.
He urged voters to use the election to demand a credible electoral process, arguing that elected officials could only claim legitimate mandates when they emerged from free and fair elections.
“Let it be recorded that this time around, the people of Rivers State will vote, and their votes MUST count,” he said.
Obi further described Rivers as a state capable of taking the lead in promoting credible elections in 2027.
“Rivers State can and should set the pace for excellent, free, fair, and credible elections in 2027,” he said.
He maintained that public officials should only be regarded as legitimately elected when they emerge from a transparent and credible electoral process.
The NDC town hall, according to Obi, was aimed at discussing practical approaches to Nigeria’s development challenges and encouraging greater citizen participation in governance.
He expressed appreciation to the NDC leadership, its Rivers State governorship candidate Dumo Lulu-Briggs, vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, party officials and supporters who attended the meeting.
Obi said the wider objective of the opposition movement was to “rescue Nigeria, rebuild our institutions, and restore hope to our people”.
