The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has unveiled plans to independently transmit election results from polling units to his campaign’s situation room ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He said the system would ensure transparency and prevent manipulation of votes.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with ARISE News, Obi explained that his team would deploy a dual transmission process.
“We must make sure that every polling unit, the votes are counted, the votes are recorded properly, the votes are transmitted properly. And we will have even a dual transmission, so that as it’s going to the proper designated INEC portal, it’s also being transmitted where the people can see it.”
He stressed that the initiative would allow his campaign to verify results independently.
“All we are saying is that this time around, we will make sure that in every polling unit, we must have a system that transmits to our situation room the correct results.”
Obi argued that the plan would prevent discrepancies between figures announced at collation centers and those recorded at polling units.
“We’re not going to have a situation where somebody just pronounces something that didn’t emanate from the polling unit.”
Coalition Talks Must Be Party-Based
Obi also addressed speculation about a possible opposition coalition ahead of 2027. He dismissed suggestions that he might step down for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, insisting that coalition talks should be between political parties, not individuals.
A genuine consensus would be within parties, he said. “It’s no longer me or him. We’re talking about parties coming together. All those parties have candidates. So it’s a discussion. There is no longer me.”
He likened coalition-building to corporate mergers, stressing that it required institutional agreements rather than informal arrangements.
“It’s like a situation where you have two corporations trying to come together. It’s no longer something the two CEOs go have a drink and say, we’re going to work together.”
Obi added that decisions within the NDC would be collective. “Whatever decision that I’m going to take, will be as a result of the decision of all of us. Not just Mr. Peter Obi.”
Poverty Reduction Over Fuel Subsidy
Obi rejected Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy, saying his administration would instead focus on tackling poverty in Northern Nigeria through agriculture, education, healthcare, and skills development.
“The North has an asset. Nobody in this country, none of us, can say they have. I will deal with that asset. And that asset is agriculture. We’ll invest in it. We’ll give the subsidy in it. We will ensure that it will take all those poor people, Nigerians, back to education. Support them in different areas. We will make sure we invest in health. In skills. Support them.”
He argued that poverty in the North was not worsened by subsidy removal but by structural neglect. Obi promised to revive manufacturing hubs in Kano and other northern cities, saying factories that once provided jobs had collapsed.
Obi also criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing its spending as reckless. “They’ve not done well. They’ve been a bit reckless in what they’re doing. At times I believe it’s not in charge.”
He pledged to prioritize fixing existing infrastructure before embarking on new projects. “No new buildings. No new roads. Until we fix the existing ones.”
Security And Electoral Integrity
On insecurity, Obi questioned why kidnappings persisted despite modern surveillance technology. “In today’s world, you can know where people are. All those equipments they’re using to focus on opponents should focus on criminals.”
He said his administration would not waste resources monitoring political opponents but would direct attention to criminal activities.
“I’m not going to follow any opponents. I don’t care where they are. I don’t care what they do. It’s not my business. I’m going to focus it where it is.”
Obi also accused Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood Yakubu of working for the opposition during the 2023 elections.
“The INEC Chairman convinced the world that he would do the right thing, when in fact he was working for the opposition. This time, we will only trust them by doing the right thing ourselves.”
He vowed to lead by example, starting with personal conduct. “Nigerian president must spend his vacation in Nigeria. We cannot continue this nonsense.”
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