The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and the party’s Kogi East senatorial candidate, High Chief Peter Ameh, have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guarantee a free, fair, transparent and credible 2027 general election.
They made the call on Sunday at Ogugu in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State during a thank-you tour held to celebrate Ameh’s emergence as the NDC candidate for the Kogi East senatorial district.
Addressing supporters at the event, Obi called on INEC to reject any attempt by political actors to influence or manipulate the electoral process, insisting that voters should be allowed to freely determine their leaders.
He said, “The reception is very warm. What is most important is that we want this campaign to be issue-based. We want all candidates to go round Nigeria and ask questions about the challenges confronting the people.
We want to change the dynamics where people go around and ask Nigerians about their problems. When I was coming to Kogi State today, I stopped at Ugbolafo, Otukpa Junction, and asked some of our elderly people what their challenges were. This is what I want other presidential candidates to do.
“I am moving around Nigeria to see how we can do the right thing. I want the next set of governance to focus on how our children will be in school, how our environment will be secured, and how our people can earn a decent living.”
Obi, who was received by a large gathering of supporters, also raised concerns about the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians, saying the country needed leadership capable of addressing its worsening social and economic challenges.
He said, “I am not worried about what the outcome of the 2027 general election will be. What worries me is the people and how they will protect their votes on election day.
“There is hunger and poverty in the land, and that is why I came here to see what we can do to ameliorate the suffering of our people.
“My charge to the people here is that they must ensure that there is a free, fair and credible election. This time around, our votes must count. Nigerians must elect those who will lead them.”
The NDC candidate urged voters to assess political candidates on the basis of their competence, capacity, character, compassion and commitment to national development.
“They must do it based on competence, capacity, character, compassion and commitment to turning Nigeria around,” he said.
He also expressed concern over the condition of rural communities, particularly the apparent underdevelopment of Nigeria’s agricultural sector despite the availability of large areas of farmland.
“As I moved around, I felt pain seeing how Nigerians are living. Look at our rural areas with huge farmlands. Nobody is supporting the farmers in all ramifications to enable them to produce the food we need to feed the nation,” Obi said.
Obi maintained that Nigeria needed leaders with a clear direction and the ability to address the challenges facing the country.
Speaking separately, Ameh said Kogi East’s natural resources and agricultural potential should translate into better living conditions for residents.
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“Kogi East is really blessed. We should not have decayed infrastructure. Despite having coal in Ankpa, the roads are bad, and people cannot access Enjema properly, despite over 200 trucks leaving the coal site daily.
“It is painful that we find ourselves in this deplorable state, but we can do something about it. We can have representatives in the legislature who will be at the National Assembly to speak for the people and raise the challenges confronting our communities.”
Ameh also criticised the condition of primary healthcare facilities across Kogi State, describing the situation across the nine local government areas as unacceptable.
“Our primary healthcare system here in Kogi is dead across the nine local government areas. It is time for us to look at the track records of the candidates contesting elections and assess who can genuinely represent the people at the National Assembly,” he said.
“For me, I have already buried my personal interest in ensuring that the interests of the people become our interest. The people must come first.”
The senatorial candidate further alleged that votes cast in previous elections had been “stolen” and urged residents to remain vigilant and protect their ballots during the 2027 election.
“They have served us before, but these votes were stolen. Today, we are charging the people to go out, vote and protect their votes because it is through the votes they cast that we will have good roads and basic amenities that will provide for our children and secure their future,” Ameh said.
He also called for improved funding and attention to public healthcare and education, urging voters to consider candidates with experience and demonstrable records of performance.
“It is necessary that our public health institutions and schools continue to have a new lease of life. Our people understand that it is time to bring in new people who are experienced, who have been able to transform their areas of responsibility and have demonstrated capacity at various levels of leadership.
“Such people should come on board and protect our collective interests,” Ameh said.