The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to vote against any candidate or political party that violates the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obi made the call on Tuesday shortly before the signing of the accord by political stakeholders ahead of next year’s elections.

Asked about the appropriate punishment for individuals or parties that breach the agreement, Obi said the electorate should deny them their votes.

“Well, the punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor also stressed the need for political office seekers to demonstrate exemplary conduct, saying those aspiring to leadership must uphold the standards expected of public officials.

“You can’t answer ‘His Excellency’ without being an excellent person. So, the process that will make you answer ‘His Excellency’ should be excellent, and the only way to do it is to conduct yourself properly,” Obi said.

He further called for a credible electoral process in 2027, urging the authorities to ensure that Nigerians’ votes count.

“I don’t have any fear [going into next year’s election] except to say that, please, for the sake of the children of Nigeria, can we have an election where people’s votes will count?” he said.

Obi also expressed concern over the violence recorded ahead of the Osun State governorship election, referring to his earlier post on the development.

He called for prayers and support for the families of those affected, while stressing that no Nigerian should lose their life because of an election.

“We should comfort their families, and we should remain prayerful and conduct ourselves in a way that in our democracy, nobody needs to die for an election. It shouldn’t be. It is painful, and I wish it never happened again,” he said.

Asked whether he still had confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system, Obi said he needed to participate in the process because of his desire to reform it.

“Well, because I want to change the process, I have to go through it. So, I have to believe in it,” he said.

The National Peace Accord signing was organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in partnership with The Kukah Centre.

Tuesday’s event marked the first phase of the exercise, while the second phase is expected to take place after the 2027 elections.

The NPC, established in 2014 ahead of the 2015 general elections, is a non-governmental initiative comprising eminent elder statesmen who work to promote free, fair and credible elections and mediate in critical national issues.

Among those who attended the event were the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, among others.