2027: C’River NDC Reps Candidate, Ojogu, Explodes, Vows To Resist Rigging

2027: C’River NDC Reps Candidate, Ojogu, Explodes, Vows To Resist Rigging 

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) House of Representatives candidate for Ikom/Boki federal constituency, Mr Henry Ojogu, has vowed to resit any attempt to rig the 2027 elections in the state.

Ojogu, who is a former Attorney-General of Cross River, made the vow while fielding questions from THE BEAGLE NEWS, saying Nigerians are tired of election manipulations. 

He further warned against voter intimidation, harassment and attempts to manipulate election results.

He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a credible, transparent, and peaceful electoral process while calling on voters to protect their votes through lawful participation and vigilance.

“The nonsense of intimidation and harassment must stop. Votes must count, the people’s wishes must prevail, and democracy must be allowed to thrive if Nigeria must survive,” he said.

Ojogu advised political parties and candidates to focus on campaigning and winning the support of voters rather than threatening opponents or claiming they would seize electoral victory by force.

“Those contesting elections should go home and campaign. The mandate in a democracy belongs to the people. If they want you, they will vote for you, and if they do not, they will vote you out,” he said.

He urged voters to come out en masse on election day, cast their ballots, and remain at polling units to observe the counting process.

He also called on them to follow the results through ward and local government collation centres until INEC announced the final outcome.

According to him, active participation by voters at every stage of the process will make electoral manipulation more difficult.

“Voters and Nigerians must be vigilant and ensure that they protect their votes and mandate,” he said.

Ojogu, however, again warned against electoral violence, saying political actors must allow voters to exercise their franchise without intimidation.

“Nobody has a monopoly of violence. We shall resist all moves to hijack the process,” he said.

He added that the people of his constituency would closely monitor the electoral process to ensure that their votes counted and the results reflected their choices.

"We shall fight to a standstill anybody who brings violence to my constituency this time. We shall return violence to the person. There will be no room for violence."

Explaining his decision to contest despite what he described as a toxic political environment, Ojogu said the suffering of ordinary Nigerians motivated him to seek elective office.

“The environment is very challenging because in politics, everybody is lumped together, and you cannot distinguish between the serious and the unserious, or those with good intentions and those with bad intentions,” he said.

He described Nigeria as being in a dire situation and called for committed leaders with the capacity and determination to address the country’s challenges.

“What motivated me into the race is that I have been part of the pain. I have cried and been part of the cry because we have been reduced to a beast,” he said.

Ojogu criticised politicians who, after spending four years in office, return to ask voters for another mandate without demonstrating tangible achievements.

He said such politicians should account for their stewardship instead of intimidating voters or warning opponents against challenging electoral malpractice.

The former attorney-general said his decision to contest followed years of political involvement and experience working behind the scenes, including observing how public budgets were managed.

“I want to serve the people. I do not have the money, but I have seen somebody like Peter Obi. Anybody who wishes Nigeria well should vote for Obi. He has the capacity, the energy, and the passion to salvage Nigeria,” he said.

Ojogu expressed support for Obi, saying Nigeria needed committed leaders capable of changing the country’s economic and political direction.

He lamented the decline of manufacturing and the growing dependence on consumption, adding that many Nigerian workers earned inadequate wages despite their efforts.

“Nigeria used to be a manufacturing nation. Today, we have become a consuming nation. Workers have become slaves in their places of work, earning peanuts. We need to change the narratives of this country,” he said.

On the prospects of the NDC in Cross River, a state governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ojogu argued that the state’s political outlook should not be determined solely by the party in power.

“Cross River is not an APC-dominated state. It is an APC-governed state. It is rather an Obidient Movement and NDC-dominated state,” he said.

He said his assessment followed visits to all 18 local government areas of the state, where he claimed to have observed growing support for the NDC and the Obidient Movement.

Ojogu, however, alleged that some voters remained reluctant to openly express their political preferences because of fear of intimidation and threats.

He expressed confidence that the secret ballot system would allow voters to make their choices freely in 2027.

The NDC candidate also cited poor infrastructure in Ikom and surrounding communities as evidence of the need for political change.

He described the Ikom-Mfum-Cameroon road as a major concern for residents and called for improved infrastructure and better governance.

Ojogu appealed to political parties, candidates, and their supporters to conduct peaceful campaigns and respect the right of citizens to choose their leaders.

He said the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend on INEC’s impartiality, voters’ vigilance, and the willingness of political actors to accept the people’s verdict.

 THE BEAGLE NEWS