Senator Victor Umeh has defended Peter Obi’s warning against manipulating votes in the 2027 general election, describing it as a call to electoral responsibility rather than a threat of anarchy.

Umeh, who represents Anambra Central Senatorial District, said Obi’s election warning reflected what Nigerians expect from the electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.

Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, had recently warned that Nigerians would not tolerate attempts to undermine their votes.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Obi said, “Our votes this time must count, and whoever doesn’t count it, we will count the person.”

The statement generated reactions, with some interpreting it as a threat. However, Umeh rejected that interpretation while speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday.

According to the senator, Obi’s comment was neither extreme nor inciting.

“I think the statement he made is not extreme. It is not inciting in any form. He merely stated what the Nigerian electorate will be expecting in 2027,” Umeh said.

He argued that a transparent electoral process would leave little room for suspicion, fraud or unrest.

Umeh said Obi’s remarks should instead serve as a reminder to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and other electoral stakeholders to ensure that election results genuinely reflect the votes cast.

“There will be no room for fraud or manipulation of election results,” he said, adding that the statement was a call to the electoral umpire to ensure that the outcome of the process was genuine.

The lawmaker described Obi’s position as “a call to patriotic duty” for electoral authorities and other stakeholders responsible for protecting the integrity of the ballot.

He also urged Nigerians to play their part by ensuring that votes cast at polling units were properly counted, recorded and transmitted through the prescribed electoral process.

“So, whether he says the people will count the votes or we count them is a call to duty and awakening the consciousness of everybody to help to protect the sanctity of the ballot box,” Umeh said.

The senator maintained that conducting a credible election remained the best way to prevent post-election tension.

He argued that any unrest arising from disputed results would be linked to manipulation of the electoral process rather than Obi’s warning.

“If you want to prevent anarchy, the best way to go about it is by doing what is right,” Umeh said.

He further pointed to the use of electoral technology and proper accreditation, voting, sorting, counting and collation as measures that could help ensure declared results correspond with votes actually cast.

“There will be no anarchy,” Umeh said.

He added that manipulating the process and announcing results that did not reflect the electorate’s choices would be what creates conditions for unrest.

“When you manipulate and give false results, you are the one inviting the anarchy not Peter Obi, who is saying that the right thing should be done,” the senator said.