2027: Peter Obi vows jail terms for election riggers if elected president

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has vowed to ensure that anyone found guilty of rigging elections, including officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), faces imprisonment if he wins the 2027 presidential election.

Obi made the pledge on Wednesday at an NDC town hall meeting in Nasarawa State, where he addressed party supporters on electoral integrity and the need to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system.

Responding to a question about how the party would tackle election rigging, the former Anambra State governor said the NDC would not allow electoral manipulation to go unchallenged in the 2027 general election.

“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,” Obi said.

He added that, if elected president, he would strengthen political parties and reform the electoral process to prevent election rigging.

“And let me assure you number two, 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 advocated stricter laws governing eligibility to contest elections, arguing that aspirants should be required to demonstrate that they attended both primary and secondary school.

“Our laws will be strict. 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,” he said.

He warned that anyone who had not attended the required schools or forged academic certificates to meet the eligibility requirements would face imprisonment.

“If you didn’t attend any of them or forge your certificate, you go to jail,” Obi said.

The NDC candidate extended his warning to INEC officials and other individuals involved in election administration, insisting that anyone found guilty of manipulating elections under his administration would be prosecuted.

“Any INEC official, anybody who is involved with elections under my watch that rigs elections will go to jail,” he declared.

Obi said his proposed measures would be guided by the rule of law, stressing that everyone, regardless of status or position, must be held accountable.

“Under my watch, Nigeria must be a country that has a law, and both from the number one person to the last person must obey the rule of law,” he said.

“Nobody must be above the law; nobody will behave rascally.”

He said his ambition was driven by the desire to transform Nigeria and establish a system in which electoral rules are respected.

“That’s why we are doing what we are doing. We want to change Nigeria. A new Nigeria is possible, and that new Nigeria will be OK,” Obi added.