Breaking: Obi Makes Fresh Demands From INEC Ahead of 2027 Elections
- Peter Obi wrote to INEC appealing for an extension of the ongoing voter registration window ahead of the 2027 general elections
- The Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate cited the rights of young Nigerians turning 18 as a key reason for the appeal
- Obi referenced a 2022 Federal High Court ruling to back his position on how long voter registration should run
NDC 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to push back the deadline for voter registration to the latest feasible date before the 2027 general elections.
Obi made the appeal in a post on his official X account on Wednesday, July 22, arguing that closing registration too early risks shutting out a large number of young Nigerians who turn 18 each day and become constitutionally eligible to vote.
Source: Twitter
"Every day, more young Nigerians attain the age of 18 and become constitutionally eligible to vote," Obi wrote.
He added:
"They are not just our future; they are stakeholders in our present. It would be unfortunate if many of them were denied the opportunity to exercise their civic responsibility simply because the registration process closed long before the elections."
Obi cites court ruling to support his position
Beyond the civic argument, Obi pointed to a legal precedent to strengthen his case. He referenced a Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in the suit Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022), in which the court held that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election in order to protect the constitutional rights of eligible voters.
Obi acknowledged the pressure INEC is under to conduct credible elections, noting that the commission needs time to clean the voters' register and handle the logistics that come with a large-scale national exercise.
However, he argued that the electoral process should prioritise participation over restriction.
Appeal targets youth disenfranchisement
The former Anambra State governor framed the appeal largely around the risk of disenfranchising young Nigerians, describing the youth as active stakeholders rather than future participants.
"A democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has the opportunity to be heard. I therefore urge INEC to adopt a registration timeline that protects the integrity of the process while ensuring that no eligible Nigerian, especially our young people, is unnecessarily disenfranchised," he said.
Obi resigned from the African Democratic Congress on May 2, 2026, and was ratified as the presidential candidate of the New Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general elections on May 29, 2026.
Ganduje speaks on Obi-Kwankaso 2027 ticket
Previously, Legit.ng reported that former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje has declared that the joint presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has no chance of victory in Kano State during the 2027 general election.
Ganduje made the remarks while addressing journalists on Tuesday, July 21, saying the NDC pairing lacked both the political muscle and governance credentials to win over voters in the state.
Source: Legit.ng
