…Kwankwaso: 30 governors can’t save Tinubu
By Gabriel Atumeyi
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, declared on Thursday that he is prepared to sacrifice his life if necessary to ensure that his votes are not stolen in the 2027 general election.
Echoing that sentiment, his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, cautioned President Tinubu that even the APC’s control of over 30 states would not guarantee his re-election.
Speaking at a well-attended town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Obi issued a stark warning to those he accused of plotting to manipulate the electoral process, vowing that this time around, Nigerians would not be passive spectators to what he described as a repeat of the irregularities that marred the 2023 polls.
“No one will intimidate us again at the polling booth,” Obi told the gathering, which included civil society groups, youth organisations, and undecided voters.
“The average number of officials at any polling unit is five, and the average number of voters is between 40 and 50. There is no way five people will intimidate 50 people — not this time.”
Obi, who ran on the Labour Party ticket in 2023 before defecting to the NDC, recounted how the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to upload results electronically via the IReV portal, a development that opposition parties argued was a deliberate ploy to rig the election in favour of President Bola Tinubu.
He acknowledged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would likely attempt similar tactics but insisted that the NDC had already devised countermeasures to neutralise any technical failures.
“Let me tell you, they will try to manipulate the IReV again. But it will not be easy this time,” Obi said.
“There will be so many IReVs this time. If there is a network glitch, we will give them another one that has no glitch. By allowing them to continue, that glitch will glitch our lives — that is what we are suffering today.”
In his most striking remark, Obi echoed the sentiments of his supporters who had declared themselves ready to die for their votes.
“Somebody said, ‘We are ready to die.’ Let me tell you, I’m ready to die too,” he declared, drawing applause from the audience.
“We will make sure we have coordination to ensure that such intimidation does not arise. This time, all of us will rescue our country.”
The NDC’s vice-presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, reinforced Obi’s message with a pointed historical lesson aimed at the ruling party.
Kwankwaso dismissed any suggestion that the APC’s control of more than 30 state governorships gives President Tinubu an automatic advantage in 2027, reminding Nigerians that a similar scenario played out in 2015.
“Jonathan was the sitting president and he lost the election. I have given you that example especially for those who think that because they have over 30 governors, they cannot lose the election. That was a very big mistake,” Kwankwaso said.
The former Kano State governor urged voters to learn from past errors and select leaders based on competence and integrity rather than party affiliation or political machinery.
“I believe that Nigerians must not make mistakes again. This is the time to get it right. Anything to the contrary, people will regret making that mistake because it will be too costly for the people and the country,” he warned.
The Port Harcourt town hall, tagged “Obi Talks Nigeria,” marked the NDC’s latest outreach in the South-South region, a geopolitical zone both candidates identified as critical to their presidential ambition.
INEC is yet to officially announce the timeline for the 2027 general election, but political parties have already begun aggressive campaigns across the country.
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