Elections Are Rigged Because Nigerians Allow It, Says Peter Obi

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has said elections in Nigeria are often manipulated because citizens fail to take ownership of the electoral process and protect their votes.

Obi stated this during a recent visit to Washington, D.C. in a video wchich started trending on Saturday, where he spoke on the challenges facing Nigeria’s democracy and the role of citizens in ensuring credible elections.
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According to the former Anambra State governor, politicians alone cannot guarantee free and fair elections unless voters are determined to defend the sanctity of their ballots.

“Elections are rigged in Nigeria because Nigerians want it to be rigged. It’s as simple as ABC. I will do whatever is possible to protect the votes, but unless Nigerians decide that their votes will count, it will not count,” he said.

Obi urged voters to remain at their polling units after casting their ballots and monitor the counting process rather than leaving immediately after voting.

“If you vote and you stay in your polling booth and say that the votes must be counted here, it will be counted, but because our politics is transactional, the average Nigerian doesn’t know who is his problem.

“So, an average Nigerian will vote and then go home or go to night vigil, whilst his night vigil should actually be to stay and let them count his votes. But he will vote and go to night vigil on Saturday and start praying because he thinks he is the only one that God created, that God will solve all his problems,” he said.

The former governor maintained that Nigeria’s biggest challenge remains poor leadership, arguing that the country possesses abundant human and natural resources needed for development.

Peter Obi

“I can tell you that Nigeria is more blessed than this country. So, if Nigerians know that their problem is leadership, they will address it and insist on getting good leadership. So everybody should be part of protecting that vote,” he added.

Obi stressed that safeguarding the electoral process should not be left to politicians alone, noting that meaningful change would only come when citizens actively participate in defending their votes and demanding accountable leadership.

Nigerian Navy Arrests Three Suspected Pipeline Vandals In Bayelsa

The Nigerian Navy has arrested three suspects linked to the vandalism of the Oando–Ondewari pipeline in Bayelsa.

This is contained in a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Folorunsho said that the suspects were arrested by personnel of Operation DELTA SENTINEL for allegedly vandalising the Oando-Ondewari pipeline at Ogboinbiri Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

He also said that the arrest followed a joint intelligence-led operation conducted by naval personnel in collaboration with a private pipeline surveillance outfit after reports of a deliberate breach along the pipeline corridor.
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He added that subsequent inspection confirmed that the pipeline had been vandalised, resulting in the spillage of crude oil, which posed a threat to critical national energy infrastructure.

According to him, acting on actionable intelligence, naval personnel conducted a targeted raid on a suspected hideout at Ondewari community in the early hours of June 12, leading to the arrest of three suspects.

“Preliminary investigations established the suspects involvement in the act of vandalism, while further inquiries revealed that a fourth suspect remains at large.”

Mr Folorunsho highlighted that the operation underscored the Navy’s commitment to protecting critical oil and gas infrastructure, as well as denying economic saboteurs the opportunity to undermine Nigeria’s economic interests through acts of vandalism and sabotage.

He also confirmed that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and conclude investigations.

Nigerian Navy

“On conclusion of investigation the arrested suspects will be handed over to the appropriate agency for further investigation and prosecution in accordance with extant laws,” he said.

The naval spokesperson reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven operations under Operation DELTA SENTINEL to safeguard critical national assets, curb crude oil theft, and ensure the security of Nigeria’s maritime and energy sectors.

No Reason For Nnamdi Kanu’s Imprisonment, No One Should Be Arrested For Insulting People: Obi

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), says there is no reason for Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), to be incarcerated.

Obi spoke recently when he visited some Nigerians in Washington DC, United States.

The former Anambra governor said no one should be arrested for speaking on radio, adding that it does not make sense.

The presidential candidate said as a politician, people usually call him names and that he does not see that as an offence.
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Obi said if elected president, he will engage with all agitators to understand their grievances and seek ways to resolve them.

“I have said this repeatedly, there is no reason for keeping (in prison) Nnamdi Kanu. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason whatsoever,” he said.

“You cannot arrest somebody because he was speaking on radio and calling people names. It doesn’t make sense. Anybody can tell you anything. I’m a politician. People call me all sorts of names.

“I don’t think calling me names is an offence. It is not an offence.

“If I’m in government today, I will discuss with all agitators. I will engage with them. I will consult with them.

“Because I believe that they have a reason for whatever they want to do. It’s only by engaging them that we’ll learn and see how we can solve it.”

Speaking further, he said elections are rigged in Nigeria because Nigerians want it to be rigged.

The former governor added that elections cannot be rigged if Nigerians stay in their polling units after voting to protect their votes.

NNAMDI KANU’S ORDEAL

In November 2025, James Omotosho, a judge at the federal high court in Abuja, sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment for terrorism charges.

Kanu was handed life imprisonment for counts one, four, five and six of a seven-count charges.

Nnamdi Kanu

The IPOB leader got 20 years and five years’ imprisonment on counts three and seven, respectively.

During the court proceedings, a DSS officer claimed that the IPOB leader admitted during interrogation to inciting Nigerians to launch attacks on police officers.

Another DSS officer had linked the violence that trailed the #EndSARS protest to the inciting comments by Kanu.
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Kanu had appealed his terrorism conviction.