2027: Nigerians Deserve Standard Democratic Process – Pro-Peter Obi Group

…Launches GO-MERD

By Patrick Tutus

Nigerians deserved free, fair and credible democratic process in the country to guarantee a brighter future for all, including the generations yet unborn. This forms the focus of Obedient Movement Nigeria as it has launched a campaign tagged: GO-MERD (Get Organized – Make Election Rigging Difficult) Campaign in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Obedient Movement Nigeria, a Pro-Peter Obi group, believes that a New Nigeria is possible if everyone is committed in ensuring that right people are elected into offices and not to be bought over.

Speaking at a press conference recently in Uyo, the State Chapter Coordinator of Obedient Movement Nigeria, Dr. Ben Smith said the power to rule in any democracy must be derived from the people and exercised by legitimately casting their votes for their choice in every election.

According to Dr. Smith, “Nations that have been prosperous have been driven by quality leadership and many through the sanctity of the ballot”.

On the group, he said: “The Obidient Movement in Akwa Ibom State is not just a movement, not a political party, but a people’s army born of selfless ambition, genuine patriotism, love for nationhood, and a deep yearning for a New Nigeria. A Nigeria led by competence, character, and compassion. A Nigeria where justice is not a privilege for the few but a right for all. A Nigeria where the youth are no longer spectators but active stakeholders in shaping our collective destiny.”

Launching the GO-MERD Campaign in the state, Dr. Smith encouraged everyone of voting age to be part of the electoral process by registering and obtaining their Voter Cards to enable them elect right leaders.

“Today, as we launch the GO-MERD Campaign here in Akwa Ibom State, know that GO-MERD means Get Organised – Make Election Rigging Difficult. GO-MERD is revolutionary because it places the burden of ensuring electoral integrity in your hands.

“GO-MERD allows you to take ownership of the electoral process. We make this bold statement not just as another campaign but as the defining call to our generation that has suffered the consequences of bad leadership birthed by beneficiaries of fraudulent elections that have plagued our democratic process.

“Akwa Ibom, our land of promise, is richly blessed with mineral resources, fertile land across our villages, and some of the most brilliant, hardworking youths in Nigeria. Yet, our people remain trapped in poverty, underdevelopment, and misrule. Too often, the worst of us have led the rest.

“The Get Your PVC & GO-MERD campaign provides us with a veritable tool to arrest this menace. It places the responsibility of the change you seek in your hands. If our current plight must take a new turn and birth the New Nigeria that we seek, then Akwa Ibom must embrace Get Your PVC & GO-MERD.

“In furtherance of this, I encourage every well-meaning Obidient who is ready to get organised right away to visit our official bloc registration portal at https://member.obidients.com/voting-bloc/m5816pun. There, you can join a voting bloc or create one, and commit to enrolling at least 100 persons per unit.

“Build meaningful relationships with these 100 persons, for in solidarity lies our greatest protection against vote buying. This is how we convert numbers into strength, and strength into victory. A New Nigeria is not far away. It is already being born.

The Chapter Coordinator regretted that successive administrations have failed to better the lot of the masses who have continuously been deceived with false promises saying that the move is meant to discourage such fake political promises especially during electioneering campaigns.

He added: ” Today, our mothers still sell peppers with candlelight because electricity is a luxury. Our fathers toil in the oil fields but cannot afford to send their children to quality schools. Our hospitals echo not only with the cries of the sick but also of unborn babies whose first tears are shed in darkness because there is no power.

“Shall we stand idle while kleptocrats mortgage the destiny of our children yet unborn? Shall we keep silent while the sweat of our fathers and the prayers of our mothers are wasted? This is the moment. Get Your PVC & GO-MERD Akwa Ibom State if your answers to these questions are an emphatic no.

“Let us remember the sacrifices of those who came before us: the founding fathers who fought for Nigeria’s independence, the fearless activists who gave their lives for free, fair, and credible elections, the martyrs of June 12 who declared that the will of the people must stand. Their voices echo today, asking: Will you let our struggles be in vain?

“The polling unit is our battleground. Get Your PVC & GO-MERD Akwa Ibom State. This is your chance. If you just turned 18, go and register. If you have lost your PVC, this is the time to replace it. If you relocated, this is the time to transfer your voting unit to the new location. If you already have your PVC, guard it like your life depends on it because truly, it does”, he emphasized.