By Eshioromeh Sebastian
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress for the 2027 election, has warned that anyone who tries to manipulate the ballot will face the same treatment, and that electoral offenders will go to jail if he is elected.
Obi gave the warning on Wednesday at a town hall meeting in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, where he spoke to party supporters on electoral integrity.
Asked what he would do about rigging, the former Anambra State governor did not soften his answer. “You didn’t ask about what we are going to do if people rig election next year. Let me assure you, number one, this coming election, we will rig those who rig it,” he said.
He said his plan is to make rigging impossible by strengthening political parties and the electoral process itself. “If I’m elected the President of Nigeria, nobody will rig election in this country again because the first thing we need to do is to strengthen our parties, strengthen the process,” he said.
Obi also proposed stricter rules for candidates. Anyone seeking office must show that they attended primary and secondary school, and the records must be clear and verifiable. Forgery, he warned, will attract jail time. “For you to contest election, you must have attended a primary school, you must have attended a secondary school and it will be visible, it will be clear. If you didn’t attend any of them or forge your certificate, you go to jail,” he said.
He extended the threat to election officials. “Any INEC official, anybody who is involved with elections under my watch that rigs elections will go to jail,” Obi declared.
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