Nigeria’s New Electoral Law Designed To Manipulate Elections, I’ll Challenge It In Court – Peter Obi

Nigeria’s  major opposition figure and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, says the provisions of the controversial new electoral law were designed to facilitate electoral manipulation and undermine the credibility of future elections.

Obi said this on Saturday when he formally registered as a member of the African Democratic Congress in his hometown of Agulu in Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.

He vowed to challenge the newly passed law in court over what he described as attempts to manipulate the outcome of the 2027 general elections.

The former berated the Independent National Electoral Commission of overstepping its constitutional role by attempting to interfere in how political parties conduct their internal processes.

According to him, the electoral body should focus on conducting credible elections rather than dictating how parties select their candidates.

“I am going to challenge the decision in court; INEC has no reason to assume processes in how political parties elect their candidates. Its responsibility is to conduct elections.

“You don’t tell a team how to prepare its players before a match. As a referee, INEC’s role is to officiate, not to determine which players a team should field,” he said.

Obi added that the provisions of the new law appeared designed to favour the ruling party in the next general election.

“All the laws being hurriedly created are simply aimed at enabling the ruling party to snatch the 2027 presidential election and run away with it,” he alleged.

He urged party members and supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls.

“We have about 2.8 million registered voters in Anambra, and I urge everyone to go to the grassroots and mobilise people to register and be ready to vote,” he said.

The former presidential candidate also emphasised the need for political unity among opposition groups.

He said the South-East region is working collectively with other parts of the country to build a strong opposition ahead of the next elections.