Free and fair election possible in Nigeria – Peter Obi

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has said that free and fair elections are possible in Nigeria when the right people oversee the process.

Obi, who spoke at the book launch of former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, in Abuja, maintained that the integrity of elections is determined by the leadership in charge.

The presidential candidate, who talked about his experience during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, shared how he ensured an impartial electoral process in his state.

He said: “I can’t comment on election policing, but I will say it depends on who is in charge at the time. I have experienced a free and fair election. During my second tenure as governor under President Jonathan, I approached him and said, ‘Mr. President, I don’t want a single vote that doesn’t belong to me. Let the election be free and fair.’”

He further recounted how he took action when members of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) attempted to interfere in his state.

“I had many people with me. Even when PDP members came to my state, I called the president and said, ‘Mr. President, I’m in my village. I don’t want people wandering around my state.’ Within minutes, he called them, and they left.”

Obi stressed that the fairness of elections depends on the integrity of those in charge.

“When we talk about elections, it all comes down to the people involved. If the right person is in charge, we’ll have free and fair elections. But if we continue in a system where electoral malpractice is the norm, crime will persist—starting with politicians failing to do the right thing.”

On security, Obi argued that tackling corruption among public officials would significantly reduce crime rates.

“If we want to talk about security, we must first stop stealing as public officers. Criminals learn from those in power. Even the police will perform their duties better when there is accountability. Election policing is simple if we have leaders who are committed to fairness rather than manipulation.”