Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has warned Nigerians against relying solely on assurances from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
Obi made the remarks during an exclusive interview with ARISE News, reflecting on the 2023 presidential election and what he described as a failure by Nigerians to sufficiently scrutinise the electoral process.
According to the former Anambra State governor, many Nigerians trusted INEC’s assurances that the 2023 election would be conducted fairly and transparently.
He alleged that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave Nigerians and the international community confidence in the commission’s preparedness, but claimed that the chairman ultimately acted in favour of his political opponents.
“In 2023, we took things for granted. We believed INEC. We believed what they said they would do,” Obi said.
He added that the experience had changed his approach to future elections, stressing that Nigerians must become more actively involved in protecting the integrity of the electoral process.
“This time, we will only trust them by doing the right thing ourselves,” he said.
Obi did not provide specific evidence in the remarks cited to substantiate his allegation that the INEC chairman worked for the opposition during the 2023 election.
His comments come as political actors and supporters begin preparations for the 2027 general election, with electoral credibility, transparency and the conduct of INEC expected to remain major issues in the political debate.
