By TheDailyNewsHub News Desk | October 5, 2026
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to take an active role in protecting their votes during the 2027 general elections, saying voters should remain at polling units until ballots are counted.
Obi made the call on Sunday, October 4, during a global digital town hall with Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, where he discussed voter mobilisation, election security and strategies for protecting the electoral process ahead of the presidential election. The event was organised around questions concerning how votes could be protected from the polling unit through the collation process.
The former Anambra State governor told participants that voting should not end with the casting of a ballot. He urged citizens to remain at their polling units to observe the counting process and ensure that the results announced at the unit accurately reflect the votes cast.
“We must stay and insist that votes must count,” Obi said during the online engagement.
He also called for greater mobilisation of voters and the presence of polling agents across the country, saying his political organisation was working to strengthen its grassroots structure ahead of the election.
The emphasis on protecting votes has become a recurring theme in Obi’s campaign for 2027. In September, he similarly urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and ensure that their ballots were properly counted, arguing that the integrity of the election would depend not only on the conduct of electoral officials but also on citizens’ participation.
During Sunday’s town hall, Obi also cautioned voters against allowing intimidation or financial inducements to determine their choices at the polls. He argued that citizens should consider the long-term consequences of their electoral decisions rather than short-term financial benefits.
His remarks came as political activity around the 2027 elections continues to intensify. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already released the timetable for the elections, with the presidential and National Assembly polls scheduled for February 20, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for March 6, 2027.
INEC’s electoral calendar places increasing importance on voter preparation, party organisation and polling-unit readiness as the country moves closer to the elections. The commission has also said the success of the 2027 polls will require the participation of political parties, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and Nigerian voters.
The electoral process is already attracting competing claims and disputes involving political parties and INEC. For example, TheDailyNewsHub recently reported allegations by the Action Alliance leadership led by Chief Kenneth Udeze concerning INEC’s handling of competing court judgments involving the party. Those allegations remain disputed and have not been established as findings against the electoral commission. Read the report on the Action Alliance’s dispute with INEC over the 2027 elections.
Obi’s latest intervention also comes against the backdrop of his efforts to build a broader grassroots and diaspora network for the 2027 contest. The global town hall was presented as an opportunity not only to outline his political strategy but also to receive questions, concerns and suggestions from Nigerians in different parts of the world.
The NDC candidate has framed voter participation as a central element of his approach to the next election, urging Nigerians not to allow fear, intimidation or apathy to keep them away from the polling process.
His appeal is particularly focused on what happens after voters cast their ballots. By asking citizens to stay at polling units through the counting stage, Obi is calling for closer citizen observation of an electoral process in which polling-unit results form an important part of the subsequent collation process.
At the same time, responsibility for conducting and administering the election remains with INEC under Nigeria’s constitutional and electoral framework. The commission has said it is preparing for the 2027 polls and has published the timetable and schedule of activities for the elections.
With the presidential and National Assembly elections less than five months away, Obi’s message adds to the growing political focus on voter mobilisation, electoral participation and the protection of ballots.
For voters, the immediate issue is not only deciding whom to support but also participating in the electoral process and following the procedures that govern voting and counting. Whether the calls for increased citizen vigilance translate into higher participation will become clearer as political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of the 2027 polls.