Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has said election malpractice continues in Nigeria because many citizens do not take enough responsibility for protecting their votes during elections.
Obi made the remarks during a visit to Washington, D.C., in a video that gained attention online on Saturday.
Speaking on Nigeria’s democratic system, he said credible elections can only be achieved when voters actively participate in safeguarding the electoral process.
According to him, politicians alone cannot ensure free and fair elections if citizens are unwilling to remain involved after casting their ballots.
He explained that voters must stay at their polling units and monitor the counting of votes instead of leaving immediately after voting.
Obi argued that many Nigerians cast their votes and depart without ensuring that the results are counted openly at their polling centres. He said this attitude creates room for manipulation and weakens the integrity of the electoral process.
The former governor also blamed the situation on what he described as transactional politics, saying many citizens have not properly identified the root causes of the country’s challenges.
He noted that rather than remaining at polling units to witness the counting process, some voters leave and expect positive outcomes without actively protecting their votes.
Speaking further, Obi maintained that Nigeria’s greatest challenge is leadership. He stated that the country has abundant human and natural resources and possesses the capacity to achieve greater development if it is led by capable and accountable leaders.
He said Nigerians must recognise that leadership lies at the centre of many of the nation’s problems and should therefore demand competent leadership through the electoral process.
Obi added that citizens have a collective duty to ensure that every vote counts and that the responsibility of defending the electoral process should not be left in the hands of politicians alone.
He concluded that lasting change in the country would only be possible when voters become more committed to protecting their ballots and holding leaders accountable through credible elections.
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