PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State — The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged the people of Rivers State to take an active role in the 2027 general election, insisting that the outcome of the election must reflect the genuine choice of the electorate.
Obi spoke on Thursday at an NDC town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, where he engaged residents alongside the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on the challenges confronting Nigeria and the need for political change.
A major theme of Obi’s address was the protection of the ballot. He warned against any attempt to manipulate the 2027 elections, declaring that Nigerians had endured enough of electoral practices that undermine their choices.
“Our votes this time must count, and whoever doesn’t count it, we will count the person,” Obi said.
He said the people of Rivers State must not only come out to vote but must remain vigilant to ensure that their votes are properly recorded and their mandate respected.
Obi expressed particular optimism over the renewed political consciousness he observed among Rivers residents, saying the state could take the lead in demanding a transparent and credible electoral process.
“This time around, the people of Rivers State will vote, and their votes MUST count,” he declared.
Education, healthcare, jobs take centre stage
Beyond electoral issues, the town hall focused on some of the country’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges, including employment, healthcare, education, poverty and economic opportunities.
Obi reiterated his argument that Nigeria’s development must be driven by substantial investment in human capital, particularly education and healthcare, rather than policies that leave citizens trapped in poverty.
He pointed to countries including Bangladesh, Indonesia and India as examples of nations that have made significant progress through purposeful policies, highlighting Bangladesh’s agricultural development, Indonesia’s support for small and medium-sized enterprises and India’s efforts to reduce poverty.
The NDC presidential candidate maintained that Nigeria possesses the resources and human capacity to achieve similar transformation if leadership becomes more focused on productive investment and improving citizens’ welfare.
“2027 cannot be business as usual”
The Port Harcourt engagement also served as an opportunity for the NDC leadership to deepen its relationship with voters ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi said the broader objective of the political movement was to rescue Nigeria, rebuild its institutions and restore hope to Nigerians, while thanking the NDC leadership, Rivers governorship candidate Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Kwankwaso and party supporters for participating in the engagement.
The town hall comes as political activities intensify across the country, with opposition parties seeking to mobilise voters around the 2027 elections.
For Obi, however, the immediate message from Rivers is clear: the electorate must vote, protect its mandate and demand that every legitimate vote is counted.
