Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 presidential election, Peter Obi, has called for the identification and compensation of families of Nigerians who lost their loved ones during the Osun State election.
Obi, while congratulating Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the people of the state on the outcome of the election, said the successful conduct of the poll was important in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
The former governor said the outcome of the election showed that Nigerians could exercise their democratic rights through the ballot, stressing that “the people have spoken through the ballot, reaffirming the fundamental principle that power belongs to the people.”
However, Obi urged Nigerians and political leaders not to allow the celebration of the electoral outcome to overshadow the lives lost during the election period.
“As we celebrate this success, let’s not forget those who made the supreme sacrifice for our democracy during the Osun election,” he said.
He expressed sympathy with families whose relatives died under different circumstances during the electoral period, saying they deserved the support and compassion of the wider society.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives under different circumstances during the electoral period,” Obi said.
He called on the relevant authorities to identify the affected families and provide them with necessary support, including compensation.
“I therefore hope that the families of those who lost their loved ones will be identified and reached through visits, condolences, and appropriate compensation, irrespective of the political side to which they belonged,” he said.
Obi stressed that elections should never become a justification for violence or the loss of human lives, regardless of the political stakes involved.
According to him, “Elections should be about the people, their choices, and their aspirations – not about the loss of precious lives.”
He added: “No political victory is worth the blood of a Nigerian.”
The ADC presidential candidate said Nigeria must build a democratic culture where political disagreements are resolved peacefully and electoral contests are conducted without violence.
“My prayer is that our democracy will continue to mature to a point where elections no longer come at the cost of human lives, and where political differences can always be settled through issue-based campaigns and the rule of law,” Obi said.
He also prayed for the bereaved families, asking God to comfort those who lost loved ones and grant eternal rest to the deceased.
Obi reiterated his belief in a better Nigeria, saying, “With the right conduct of elections, a New Nigeria is possible.”
(The Whistler)