Abuja: The Convener of the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has stressed the need to allow citizens to freely exercise their voting rights without fear of intimidation in the 2027 general elections. Ezekwesili stated this during an emergency stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja, focusing on the theme ‘Securing The Future: The Integral Link Between Credible Elections and National Stability.’
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the national dialogue organized by the MCE aimed to discuss the prospects and challenges defining the journey to the 2027 general elections. Ezekwesili, who also chairs the Board of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), expressed concerns about alleged harassment and intimidation of dissenting voices and opposing citizens. She emphasized that citizens must have the liberty to exercise their rights as the elections approach and warned against actions that could instigate the populace.
Ezekwesili also highlighted a significant decline in publi
c confidence in the electoral system since 1999, noting that the 2023 presidential election recorded only 23 percent voter participation, far below the African average of 47 percent. She attributed this decline to widespread distrust in public institutions tasked with conducting credible elections and called for genuine solidarity and collective action among Nigerians to sustain democratic structures.
Speaking further, the Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, emphasized the importance of political parties guarding their autonomy and resisting external infiltration. He urged the public, especially young people who constitute nearly 70 percent of the population, to actively engage in electoral activities, while challenging media organizations to fulfill their roles as watchdogs and sensitizers.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Aspirant of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, commended the MCE for advocating credible elections. Represented by his Chie
f Spokesperson, Tanko Yunusa, Obi stressed the necessity for a credible voter register and urged the National Assembly to address electoral reforms. He advocated for urgent revisitation of electoral reforms to ensure free, fair, and credible elections, calling for proactive measures to bring about the necessary changes.