The National Chairman of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, has dismissed claims that the party is unprepared for the 2027 general elections, insisting that preparations are already underway to mobilise supporters and protect its votes.
Zuwoghe said the party was taking steps to establish its electoral structures and recruit polling and collation agents to ensure that votes cast for its candidates were properly counted and reflected in the final results.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday, he declared: “Allow votes to count or be counted.”
He vowed that the party would take all lawful measures to defend its electoral interests before, during and after the elections.
“We shall match the APC fire-for-fire before, during and after the election until May 29, 2027, when, by the grace of God, the NDC presidential candidate and the other candidates of our great party shall be inaugurated,” he said.
The NDC chairman disclosed that the party had fielded candidates for the presidential, senatorial, House of Representatives, governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
He described claims that the party was not committed to the polls as propaganda, alleging that such statements reflected concerns within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the NDC’s activities.
“The propaganda of our party not being committed to the elections is definitely a sign of fear in the camp of the APC,” he said.
As part of its preparations, Zuwoghe announced that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) would meet on October 20 to ratify key decisions ahead of the elections.
He said the meeting would be followed by the presentation of certificates of return to candidates and the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council.
The chairman added that the party had activated its state structures and begun preparations for election-day operations, including identifying members who would serve as polling and collation agents.
“We are not waiting for INEC to tell us before we start working. We are already working in advance,” he said.
According to him, governorship and State House of Assembly candidates would collaborate with stakeholders in their respective areas to identify agents, while senatorial and House of Representatives candidates would work with stakeholders in their constituencies.
He explained that the strategy was informed by challenges the party encountered with election agents during the 2023 general elections.
Zuwoghe urged Nigerians to take personal responsibility for safeguarding their votes, warning that voting without monitoring the subsequent stages of the electoral process could create opportunities for discrepancies between votes cast and results announced.
“Voting alone is not enough. You must vote and protect your vote, making sure it gets to the point where it will be counted for you,” he said.
Using a hypothetical example of a polling unit where 70 out of 100 voters supported a particular party, he stressed the need for voters to remain vigilant to ensure that declared results accurately reflected the ballots cast.
He also recounted an experience in which he and others provided refreshments for voters at a polling unit near their residence but later questioned how the results had changed.
“We were very happy to do so. But the following day, we did not know how they changed the result,” he said.
The NDC chairman called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that election results reflected the wishes of voters. He also urged security and intelligence agencies to remain neutral throughout the electoral process.
He maintained that election results should be announced by the appropriate electoral officials rather than become the subject of prolonged legal battles.
“While we continue to hold the judiciary and INEC in high esteem, we have resolved that our victory must be announced by presiding officers, not judges or those who cannot do simple arithmetic of addition and subtraction,” he said.
Zuwoghe further appealed to President Bola Tinubu to prioritise national interest over personal political ambitions, citing former President Goodluck Jonathan as an example of a leader who, in his view, placed the country’s stability above political considerations.
“Former President Goodluck Jonathan is a celebrated example of a statesman, not a weak leader,” he said.
The chairman also thanked Nigerians, particularly young people, who had established support groups to mobilise backing for the party and its candidates.
He said the NDC would continue coordinating the groups but stressed that they must operate within the party’s established structures and avoid assuming responsibilities reserved for party officials.
“We need them. We love them. We see them as our helpmates. They are helping us, and we appreciate it,” he said.
Zuwoghe also alleged that political opponents could attempt to introduce fake support groups into the party to create divisions and disrupt its activities.
“We are aware of the plans of the enemies of this country to float fake support groups in our camp,” he said in his prepared address.
He urged genuine support groups to work with party structures at the national, state, local government and ward levels to strengthen coordination ahead of the elections.
The NDC chairman also cautioned party leaders against removing elected officials without following the procedures outlined in the party’s constitution.
He explained that party positions were filled through established processes, including congresses at ward, local government, state and zonal levels, as well as national conventions.
“Party officeholders are elected officers, not appointed officers. I am elected with my own mandate for four years,” he said.
According to him, the party’s constitution provides guidelines for replacing officers who die or resign, as well as procedures for disciplinary action where necessary.
He warned that arbitrary removals could trigger internal disputes and unnecessary litigation, urging party stakeholders to respect the constitution.
Addressing concerns over the timing of the Presidential Campaign Council, Zuwoghe said the party had allowed its presidential and vice-presidential candidates to nominate key campaign officials.
These positions include the director-general and deputy director-general of the campaign council, as well as officials responsible for finance, communications and other campaign activities.
He said the arrangement recognised the candidates’ central role in directing their campaigns.
“It is our party, but it is also their election,” he said.
Zuwoghe added that the party was preparing to expand its visibility campaign across polling units, wards, local governments and states.
He stressed that familiarising voters with the party’s logo was essential because candidates would be identified on ballot papers through their party symbols.
“The candidates’ faces will not be on the ballot. It is the party logo that will be on the ballot,” he said.
The chairman expressed confidence in the party’s preparations and reiterated its commitment to contesting the 2027 general elections against the APC.