The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians not to vote for politicians or political parties that violate the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi made the call on Tuesday shortly before the commencement of the signing of the National Peace Accord for the elections, scheduled for January and February 2027.
Asked what punishment should be imposed on any candidate or party that violates the accord, Obi said the electorate should punish them at the polls.
“Well, the punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” he said.
The NDC candidate also maintained that anyone seeking public office should serve as an example to others.
“You can’t answer ‘His Excellency’ without being an excellent person. So, the process that will make you answer ‘His Excellency’ should be excellent, and the only way to do it is to conduct yourself properly,” Obi said.
He called for a credible and peaceful election in 2027, stressing the importance of ensuring that Nigerians’ votes count.
“I don’t have any fear [going into next year’s election] except to say that, please, for the sake of the children of Nigeria, can we have an election where people’s votes will count?” he asked.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, also expressed concern over the violence recorded ahead of the Osun governorship election, referencing his earlier comments on the development.
“We should comfort their families, and we should remain prayerful and conduct ourselves in a way that in our democracy, nobody needs to die for an election. It shouldn’t be. It is painful, and I wish it never happened again,” he said.
Asked whether he still has confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process, Obi said he must participate in the system because his objective is to reform it.
“Well, because I want to change the process, I have to go through it. So, I have to believe in it,” he said.
The National Peace Accord signing ceremony was organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in partnership with The Kukah Centre.
Tuesday’s ceremony marked the first phase of the exercise, with the second phase expected to take place after the 2027 elections.
The NPC, a non-governmental body established in 2014 in response to emerging threats ahead of the 2015 general elections, comprises eminent elder statesmen who work to promote free, fair and credible elections and intervene in critical national issues through high-level mediation and alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Among those who attended Tuesday’s event were the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, among others.
