Political activist and Nigeria Democratic Congress member Aisha Yesufu has said supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will not rely solely on electoral institutions to protect their votes in the 2027 presidential election.
Yesufu said Obi’s supporters would deploy representatives to polling units and monitor the movement of election materials and results through the various collation centres up to Abuja.
She made the remarks during an interview on Arise News while discussing Obi’s chances in the 2027 presidential election and lessons from the 2023 general election.
According to her, the experience of the 2023 election had demonstrated the need for voters and political groups to take a more active role in protecting their votes.
“Yes, we are going to have people at every polling unit to protect the votes,” Yesufu said.
She explained that the proposed strategy would involve monitoring results at every stage of the collation process, from polling units to wards, local government areas and states, before the final declaration in Abuja.
“No result sheet will leave our sight. We will follow the results from the polling units all the way to Abuja,” she said.
Yesufu said the objective was to ensure that the results eventually declared accurately reflected the votes cast by Nigerians.
She also said she had “zero trust” in the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies and the judiciary, arguing that citizens could not afford to leave the protection of their votes entirely to state institutions.
According to her, the 2027 election would require stronger grassroots mobilisation, with supporters focusing on polling units rather than relying exclusively on rallies and campaign activities.
Commenting on a recent incident in Benue State, where Obi’s movement was reportedly obstructed, Yesufu defended his decision not to engage those who allegedly blocked his convoy.
She argued that Obi had other engagements to attend and should not allow what she described as “miscreants” to dictate his movements.
Yesufu also expressed confidence in Obi’s chances of winning the 2027 presidential election, saying Nigerians were increasingly concerned about the effects of economic hardship and insecurity on their daily lives.
She criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing it as a “colossal failure” and arguing that claims of improved macroeconomic indicators had not translated into improved living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
According to Yesufu, Nigerians are contending with rising costs, insecurity and declining purchasing power, adding that economic policies should ultimately be assessed by their impact on citizens.
She said Obi had an advantage because, in her view, voters were increasingly prioritising competence, character and capacity over religious considerations.
Yesufu also expressed confidence that Obi would retain his support in Lagos in 2027 and make significant gains in other parts of the country.
The activist, who said she was not seeking elective office, stated that her focus was on mobilising supporters for the 2027 presidential election and ensuring that votes were adequately protected.
She maintained that the experience of the 2023 election had demonstrated the importance of grassroots organisation if voters wanted their ballots to determine the final outcome of the election.
