Elections are rigged because Nigerians allow it – Obi
During a recent visit to Washington, D.C., Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi asserted that electoral manipulation in Nigeria persists largely because the electorate fails to take full ownership of the process. In a viral video circulating since Saturday, June 13, 2026, Obi argued that while politicians often facilitate electoral malpractice, the lack of voter vigilance provides the environment for these actions to succeed.
Obi contended that the responsibility for ensuring credible elections rests heavily on the shoulders of the voters themselves. “Elections are rigged in Nigeria because Nigerians want it to be rigged. It’s as simple as ABC,” he stated, emphasizing that he intends to protect votes in the 2027 election, but the ultimate success of the ballot depends on the public’s resolve to see the process through to the end.
The former Anambra State governor criticized the common practice where voters cast their ballots and immediately leave the polling units. He specifically poked fun at the cultural preference for attending night vigils and engaging in spiritual supplication after elections, suggesting that this misplaced priority contributes to the loss of electoral integrity.
“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,” Obi remarked.
He urged the electorate to remain at polling stations after casting their ballots to ensure that votes are counted and documented properly. Reaffirming his stance that Nigeria’s primary obstacle is poor leadership, Obi maintained that with the nation’s vast natural and human potential, a more engaged and vigilant citizenry is the missing component required to shift the country toward a more democratic future.
