By Elvira Jordan
Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged Rivers State voters to turn out massively in the 2027 general election and ensure that their votes count, declaring that the state should lead the struggle for free, fair and credible elections.
Obi made the call in a statement shared 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 presidential candidate said the engagement provided an opportunity to discuss some of the country’s most pressing challenges, including unemployment, healthcare, education, insecurity and the lack of adequate economic opportunities for citizens.
He, however, placed particular emphasis on the need for Nigerians to protect their votes and demand an electoral process capable of producing leaders with genuine mandates.
Obi expressed satisfaction with what he described as a renewed commitment among Rivers residents to participate actively in the 2027 election and ensure that the outcome reflects the will of the electorate.
“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,” he said.
He urged Rivers voters to make the next general election a defining moment in the state’s democratic journey, insisting that elected officials could only claim legitimate authority when they emerge from a transparent and credible electoral process.
“Let it be recorded that this time around, the people of Rivers State will vote, and their votes MUST count,” Obi declared.
According to him, Rivers State has both the responsibility and capacity to set an example for other parts of the country by insisting on electoral standards that guarantee free, fair and credible elections.
“Rivers State can and should set the pace for excellent, free, fair, and credible elections in 2027,” he said.
Obi maintained that only leaders produced through a transparent electoral process could legitimately be regarded as elected public officials, stressing the importance of citizens’ participation in determining the country’s political direction.
