Peter Obi has said that if countries like India can successfully conduct elections and transmit results electronically, then Nigeria has no excuse for not doing the same.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate made this known in a statement posted on his verified X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, India is the world’s largest democracy, with nearly one billion registered voters and over 60 percent voter participation during elections. He explained that the country operates more than one million polling stations and has thousands of political parties. Despite these large numbers, India uses technology to conduct elections and transmit results electronically within days.
Obi pointed out that Nigeria has only about one-seventh of India’s population and around 93 million registered voters, which is less than 10 percent of India’s voter base. He added that Nigeria has fewer than 20 percent of the polling stations and only about 1 percent of the political parties compared to India.
He said it is worrying that Nigeria still struggles to conduct elections smoothly and transmit results promptly, even though voter turnout in the country is often below 20 percent.
The former Anambra State governor blamed the situation on leadership.
“The difference is leadership. In India, political leaders, legislators and judiciary work tirelessly for the welfare of their people and the future of their children, to do the right thing for the betterment of society, even amidst challenges.
“In Nigeria, many political figures instead implement policies that impoverish the people and threaten the future of our children.
“If we are to transform Nigeria, we must demand leaders who put the people first, govern with integrity, and plan for a better tomorrow,” he wrote.
