The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has begun preparations to protect its votes in the 2027 general elections, announcing plans to recruit polling agents and intensify voter education ahead of the polls.

The party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, disclosed this after a two-day meeting of the National Working Committee in Abuja, where he outlined measures aimed at strengthening the party’s electoral structures and ensuring that votes cast for its candidates are properly recorded.

Cleopas said the party was already coordinating its presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly candidates to ensure adequate representation at polling units. He stressed that effective monitoring of the voting and result processes would be essential to safeguarding the party’s electoral interests.

According to the chairman, vote protection must begin with public awareness and continue beyond the act of voting. He urged supporters to remain vigilant and ensure that their votes are counted, adding that the party was determined to prepare its structures well before election day.

The NDC chairman also referred to concerns arising from the 2023 presidential election, recalling the experience of an associate who mobilised support for Peter Obi but later questioned how the results were handled. The account formed part of his explanation for the party’s decision to strengthen its monitoring and mobilisation strategy ahead of 2027.

Cleopas also announced that the party had proposed October 20 for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council, subject to consultations with Obi and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. He said the party wanted to carefully select campaign officials to avoid appointments that could weaken its organisation or create divided loyalties.

The planned inauguration is expected to coincide with other party activities, including the presentation of certificates of return to its candidates and a gathering intended to strengthen cooperation among them. The NDC says its broader objective is to build a coordinated campaign structure and prepare its supporters to monitor the electoral process throughout the 2027 elections.