By Ihechi Enyinnaya
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has vowed to prosecute and jail anyone found guilty of rigging elections if he wins the 2027 presidential election.
Obi made the declaration on Wednesday at an NDC town hall meeting in Nasarawa State, where he addressed party supporters on electoral integrity and the need to reform Nigeria’s electoral system.
Responding to a question on how his party would tackle electoral manipulation in the next general election, the former Anambra State governor said the NDC would not allow those who rig elections to escape accountability.
“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 explained that his administration, if elected, 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 requirements for individuals seeking elective offices, insisting that candidates should have attended both primary and secondary schools.
“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 forged academic certificates or falsely claimed to possess the required educational qualifications would face imprisonment.
“If you didn’t attend any of them or forge your certificate, you go to jail,” the NDC candidate declared.
Obi extended the warning to officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other individuals involved in election administration, saying anyone found guilty of electoral malpractice under his government would be prosecuted.
“Any INEC official, anybody who is involved with elections under my watch that rigs elections will go to jail,” he said.
The former governor stressed that his proposed reforms would be guided by the rule of law, maintaining that no individual should be exempt from accountability, regardless of their position.
“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,” Obi said.
“Nobody must be above the law; nobody will behave rascally.”
He added that his presidential ambition was driven by the desire to transform Nigeria and establish a system in which electoral rules were respected and public institutions functioned effectively.
“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,” he said.