2027: Why I Won’t Be Campaigning With Peter Obi — Aisha Yesufu

Activist Aisha Yesufu has explained why she will not be touring the country to campaign with the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Yesufu, who actively supported Obi during the 2023 presidential election, said her role in the next election would be different, with greater emphasis on organising voters, building grassroots structures and protecting votes on election day.

Speaking in a video posted on her X handle, the activist said her involvement in the 2023 campaign was primarily aimed at helping Nigerians understand that Obi was not a candidate representing any particular ethnic or religious group.

According to her, she wanted to demonstrate that Obi’s candidacy was intended to appeal to Nigerians across ethnic, religious and regional lines.

However, Yesufu said her priorities had changed ahead of the 2027 election.

She said supporters who intend to vote for Obi should focus on building strong networks at polling units rather than relying solely on campaign rallies and nationwide tours.

The activist urged supporters to organise themselves ahead of election day so they could effectively coordinate activities at their respective polling units.

She also stressed the importance of protecting votes after they have been cast, saying voters must remain present and vigilant during the counting and collation processes.

Yesufu said voters should understand how results are recorded at polling units and ensure that figures accurately reflect the votes cast.

She warned that merely casting a vote would not be enough if voters failed to monitor what happened to their ballots during the result-entry process.

“Your vote that you voted, it must be entered,” she said.

Yesufu further encouraged supporters to educate themselves on the electoral process and understand the procedures for recording and transmitting results.

Her comments suggest a shift from the highly visible campaign activities associated with the 2023 election towards grassroots mobilisation and election-day monitoring.

The activist’s position comes as political parties, candidates and supporters begin preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with voter mobilisation, polling-unit organisation and election integrity expected to remain major issues in the emerging political contest.