Every Vote Will Count in 2027, Peter Obi Assures Supporters
•NenadiUsman: Patriotism no longer passive admiration, but active participation
•Amadi advocates ballot box revolution
ChuksOkocha in Abuja
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last general election, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday assured his supporters that in the 2027 general election, votes will count.
Obi also lamented that Nigerians have been turned into refugees in their own country, even when the country was not in war.
The former Anambra State Governor made the remarks during the presentation of a book titled: “Obi, the Political Change Agent” by former THISDAY staff, Ike Abonyi, in Abuja.
Obi, while calling for transparency in the 2027 election, cautioned against any move to truncate the process.
He stressed, “We will make the election count and those who don’t want it to count, we’ll count them.”
He said Nigerians must rise and change the current political system, adding that the current structure does not care about the people.
The former Anambra State governor highlighted the sufferings faced by Nigerians, as he listed issues troubling the country to include insecurity, poverty, theft, and lack of accountability by public officials, among others.
He urged collective efforts to dismantle the proceeds of ill-gotten wealth, insisting that “any country where those in government are richer than business people is an unproductive country. A very simple definition of production is value.”
He said the current system was unproductive, adding that the country has raised “Nigerian masters” who have destroyed rail lines and other infrastructures built by the colonial masters.
Obi further explained that to rebuild the country, Nigerians must make sacrifices as he disclosed that the Obidient movement would look for genuine people who are willing to fix the country at all levels.
His remarks may not be unconnected to the activities of some federal lawmakers originally elected on the Labour Party platform but who have been criticized for allegedly abandoning their core opposition functions.
Also, in her remarks, Acting National Chairman of a faction of the Labour Party, Senator NenadiUsman, said patriotism could no longer be restricted to passive admiration of leaders or ideas, but the active participation of citizens in changing society for the better.
She described the book as a timely literary work chronicling not only the political journey of one man, but the awakening of a nation’s democratic consciousness.
She said, “In every generation, a voice arises that does not merely echo the people’s frustrations but dares to chart a new path for them. Mr. Peter Obi, whose life and political saga we unveil today, has become such a voice.
“This book, meticulously authored and boldly titled, tells a story far beyond politics. It is the story of accountability against impunity, simplicity against flamboyance, principle against expediency and prudence against financial recklessness.
“The 250-page book we celebrate today not only examines Peter Obi’s public service but invites us to consider the bigger picture, the inevitability of a New Nigeria.
“Through 26 illuminating chapters, we are taken on a journey of disruption, reform, resistance, and rebirth.
“From the echoes of 1999’s democratic rebirth to the turbulence of the 2023 general elections, the book explores not just the man but the Obidient Movement, which has become an emblem of youth political awakening and civic courage.
“Let me commend the author, Ike Abonyi, for this bold and unflinching chronicle. The chapters on electoral intrigue, media battles, identity politics, and ideological tenacity are essential readings for anyone seeking to understand the shifting landscape of Nigeria’s democracy.
“It challenges us to rethink the meaning of leadership, the role of political parties, and the place of the ordinary citizen in shaping extraordinary change.
“It reminds us that patriotism is no longer passive admiration but active participation.”
She expressed confidence that Nigeria must rise again, “not by miracles, but by meticulous leadership, courageous citizens, and uncompromising values.”
In his speech, the former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC), Prof. Sam Amadi, said that, “A successful revolution defined by two basic ideas. The first is the idea of democratic civilisation. And the second is the idea of democratic diplomacy.”
Amadi said politics was two-headed and that’s why the challenge for Nigeria was two-way. According to him, either a ballot box revolution or an anarchical sort of violence-based revolution that nobody could define the direction.
According to Amadi, ‘’There’s a guy who talks about revolution. No, the irony is that revolution has not always historically been positive. The only revolution for Nigeria is a ballot box revolution.
‘’For two reasons.Because it has legitimacy and fits into the neutral politics. The revolution of red barrettes or green barrettes outside mobilising Nigerians towards electoral victory is both an illusion and a dangerous revolution.
‘’The real illusion is what Obedients are talking about, the ballot box. So our politics has been, so Nigeria has been able to transform in this endemic crisis because of low energy politics.”
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election used the occasion to give certificates to members of his support group
