Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said that electoral malpractice in Nigeria persists largely because citizens fail to take active steps to protect their votes during elections.
Obi made the remarks during an address in Washington, D.C., where he spoke on Nigeria’s political system and the need for stronger civic engagement ahead of future elections.
He argued that the credibility of elections depends not only on institutions but also on the behaviour of voters at polling units.
“Elections are rigged in Nigeria because Nigerians want it to be rigged. It’s as simple as ABC. I will do whatever is possible to protect votes come 2027 election, but unless Nigerians decide that their votes will count, it will not count because if you vote and you stay in your polling booth and insist the votes must be counted here, it will be counted but because our politics is transactional, the average Nigerian doesn’t know who is his problem. So, an average Nigerian will vote and then go home or go to night vigil, whilst his night vigil should actually be to stay and let them count his votes but he will go to night vigil on Saturday and start praying because he thinks he is the only one that God created, that God will silver all his problems. The question you all should ask yourselves today, what is the problem of Nigeria? Nigeria has only one problem, leadership. Political leadership, every other thing God gave it to Nigeria. I can tell you that Nigeria is more blessed than this country (The US). So, if Nigerians know that their problem Is leadership, they will face it and insist that they must get good leadership, so everybody should be part of protecting that vote.”
Obi said Nigerians must become more deliberate in defending their ballots, stressing that electoral integrity can only be guaranteed when citizens remain present and engaged throughout the voting and counting process.
He added that the country’s core challenge is leadership, arguing that Nigeria possesses abundant natural and human resources but continues to struggle due to governance failures.
His remarks come amid ongoing national debates on electoral reforms, voter participation and the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of future general elections.
