Peter Obi: Elections will be free and fair when people with integrity are involved

Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, says the credibility of elections in Nigeria depends on the integrity of those saddled with the responsibility of managing the system.

Obi spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the public presentation of ‘Readings on Election Security Management’ and ‘Selected Readings in Internal Security Management’ authored by Solomon Arase, the former inspector-general of police (IGP).

The former governor of Anambra said there would be free and fair elections in the country if the right persons are involved.

“I can’t make comment on election policing. I will only just say, it depends on whoever is in charge at the time,” Obi said.

“I’ve had the opportunity of being involved in free and fair elections under President Jonathan at my second term.

“I went to him as the president and said, Mr. President, I don’t want one vote that is not belonging to me to be recorded for me, and I don’t want one vote to be recorded for another person.

“Just ask the INEC chairman, police officer and people coming here for this election for interest of peace, let them do free and fair election.

“I have so many people to bear that witness. Even when some of his party people, PDP, came to my state, I called him myself, I said ‘Mr. President, I’m in my village, I don’t want people wandering around in my state. I have voted and I’m in my village, I heard so and so people are in my state’.

“They are not from this state; they should leave this state, and within a few minutes, he called them, and they left the state. I said, please, let them count the result.

“So, when we talk about election, it depends on human being that is involved. If the right person is involved, we would have free and fair elections.

“But if the people have decided that we have to live off the situation where we have become a crime scene, and we are chasing criminals.

“The criminality will start from the politicians doing the right thing. Even if we want to talk about security, talk about everything, when we stop stealing as public officers.

“The children and homeless criminals will equally learn from us. And as police will even do their work better.

“Election policing is easy if we have people who are not ready to steal the elections.”

The ex-presidential candidate also commended Arase for upholding professionalism during his time as the IGP.

“He is a first-class police officer who performed his duties professionally,” he added.

“I appreciate his work and his contribution through these books on internal and election security.”