By John Odhe
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says there will be no room for manipulators of election to rig any of its candidates in the forthcoming general election in 2027.
The NDC claims that the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the 2023 presidential election did not reflect the polling units figures and wishes of the electorate.
The party says the forthcoming coming election will not be business as usual.
Consequently, the NDC says it is building a 13-man executive structure in every polling unit across Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, as part of efforts to strengthen its grassroots presence and ensure adequate representation during polls.
Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central, disclosed this in an interview on a national television, saying the structure would enable the party to produce agents for every polling unit during the election.
The lawmaker said, “NDC has a structure where every polling unit, we have 13 people in that polling unit dedicated to duty. In that polling unit, on the day of election, we have in our structure what is called polling booth executives. So it’s in our constitution.
“And we’re building that strength across the country. Every polling unit will have 13-man executives in that polling unit.
“Is it 13 people that will not be able to produce one agent that will represent the party? Of course, the answer will be obvious to you.”
Umeh said the party was also preparing separately to ensure that it had polling agents across the country.
He disclosed, “We are aware of the need to have agents in every polling unit in Nigeria. And thank God, our party has become very appealing to the Nigerian public. And people have surged into the party to contest these various elections.
“These candidates are the people who drive the process down to the polling units. So we are going to be present in every polling unit in Nigeria.”
He said candidates contesting the elections would help drive the party’s structure down to the polling units.
“The thing is very simple. If a party is present in all the constituencies in Nigeria, with candidates contesting the elections, the party will be closer to the polling units.
“It will be a different case where you don’t have candidates. Where you don’t have candidates, the party will be absent in the polling units,” the lawmaker noted.
Umeh said the NDC had fielded candidates for the positions being contested in the 2027 elections.
He stated, “Today I’m giving you that NDC has been able to field candidates for all the positions that are being contested in the 2027 general elections.
