The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to reject the politics of division and elect in 2027 a leader capable of uniting the country, restoring security and rebuilding public confidence in government.

Obi warned that Nigeria cannot make meaningful progress when its citizens remain divided along ethnic, religious and regional lines, stressing that the challenges confronting Nigerians do not discriminate on the basis of tribe or faith.

He said the 2027 presidential election must therefore be treated as a defining moment for Nigerians to choose a leader who will put the interests of the entire country above sectional considerations.

“Our country needs unity. At present, we are not united. We are divided along ethnic and religious lines, yet, to the best of my knowledge, no tribe buys bread at a lower price, and no tribe buys fuel at a lower price.

“Similarly, no religion buys bread or fuel at a lower price. The poverty affecting our country today is widespread across the entire nation.

“No tribe enjoys greater security than another. Insecurity affects every part of the country. This is the same point I have consistently made.”

The former Anambra State governor spoke during a Global Digital Town Hall streamed through Zoom, YouTube and other social media platforms, where he engaged Nigerians at home and abroad on voter mobilisation, election security and the urgent need to protect the electoral process.

Obi said Nigerians must move beyond complaining about bad governance and take responsibility for determining who governs them.

He charged citizens who want a better Nigeria to protect their votes from the moment they arrive at their polling units until the final ballot is counted and recorded.

According to him, voting alone is not enough if citizens abandon the process before the votes are counted.

He urged the NDC support base and all Nigerians committed to credible elections to mobilise voters, strengthen grassroots structures and ensure that competent polling agents are deployed across the country.

Obi said his campaign would continue to expand its polling-agent network and engage with other political parties and stakeholders committed to free, fair and credible elections.

He also warned voters against selling their future for temporary financial inducements, saying politicians who deploy money to manipulate elections are effectively diverting resources that should have been used to improve the lives of citizens.

“If you accept money from them, that is money they would otherwise have spent on security, hospitals, and education,” he said.

The NDC candidate further warned that intimidation, ethnic sentiment, religious manipulation and vote-buying must not be allowed to determine the future of Nigeria.

He said Nigerians must recognise that the consequences of electing incompetent leadership are borne by everyone, regardless of tribe, religion or political affiliation.

On insecurity, Obi demanded stronger political leadership and adequate support for the nation’s security agencies, arguing that personnel cannot effectively protect citizens without the equipment, logistics and welfare required to perform their duties.

“We have security agencies, and they must function effectively. We must provide them with the logistics they need to perform their duties and ensure that we stand by them.

“We must make certain that they are properly equipped and that their families are cared for if anything happens to them or they become unavailable. We need a president who will lead from the front,” he said.

Obi maintained that Nigeria requires leadership that is present, accountable and prepared to confront the country’s problems directly rather than one that governs from a distance.

He therefore called on Nigerians to become active participants in the 2027 electoral process and insist that every legitimate vote counts.

The NDC presidential candidate urged voters on election day to remain at their polling units after voting until the ballots are counted and the results are properly recorded.

He said the protection of the vote must become a collective national responsibility because the failure to protect the electoral process amounts to surrendering the country’s future to those who may seek to manipulate it.

The Digital Global Town Hall is part of Obi’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with voter mobilisation, grassroots participation, election security and protection of the people’s mandate forming major themes of the engagement.

The NDC believes that a new Nigeria can only emerge when Nigerians unite across ethnic, religious and regional lines and consciously defend their right to choose the leadership they deserve.