Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has assured Nigerians that the 2027 general election is not merely about his personal presidential ambition, but about the collective aspiration of Nigerians for a new country.
Obi made the remarks during the A New Nigeria Global Digital Townhall held on Sunday, October 4, 2026, where he engaged Nigerians at home and in the diaspora on the protection of votes and preparations for the 2027 elections. The townhall was specifically organised around the questions of how votes would be protected and how citizens could participate in the electoral process.
According to Obi, every Nigerian is effectively contesting the 2027 election through him, describing himself as the chief servant of the people and the vehicle through which Nigerians can pursue their collective aspiration for a New Nigeria.
He therefore urged Nigerians not to leave the responsibility of protecting their votes to political parties, candidates or electoral officials alone, stressing the importance of citizens taking ownership of the electoral process.
Obi called on Nigerians to register, mobilise and prepare to participate actively at the polling-unit level, insisting that “we are all polling unit agents.”
He urged voters to go to their polling units on election day, cast their ballots and remain at the polling units to observe the counting and protect the integrity of their votes.
His message was essentially that voting should not end when a ballot is cast.
> “On election day, go out and vote and stay to protect your votes.”
The emphasis on polling-unit participation is consistent with the vote-protection strategy being promoted around the 2027 election, with the campaign stressing grassroots organisation, monitoring of polling units and documentation of results. The official townhall platform also calls for every polling unit to be watched and results documented from the polling unit through the collation process.
Obi’s message places citizen participation and vote protection at the centre of the 2027 electoral contest, urging Nigerians to move beyond merely supporting candidates from a distance and become active participants in safeguarding the electoral process.
The NDC presidential candidate had earlier said the global townhall was intended not only to provide answers but also to listen to Nigerians and incorporate their concerns, insights and strategies into the movement’s next steps.
With the 2027 presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, the call effectively puts responsibility for election-day participation on individual voters—vote, remain at the polling unit, observe the count and ensure that the result reflects the ballots cast.
