Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate in the 2023 elections has called for free and fair elections ahead of the governorship elections in Edo State.

Obi, who headed to court after losing the presidential election in March last year due to election malpractices called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to the elections are devoid of malpractices.

He made this known on Wednesday, September 18 at the grand finale of the LP governorship campaign in Benin, the state capital.

The Edo state off-cycle governorship election will be held on September 21.

The former governor of Anambra called on the people of Edo to vote for Olumide Akpata, the LP governorship candidate.

Obi said Akpata if voted as governor of Edo, would deliver the needed change for the benefit of the masses.

“If elected, the Labour Party’s candidate will address federal roads connected to the state without waiting for the federal government to act,” Obi said.

He added that the era of election rigging is over in Nigeria, noting that “anyone who tries to rig the election would be rigged”.

“Election rigging is coming to an end in this country. This time around, anyone who rigs the election, we will rig him,” he said.

“Nigerians are suffering every day with hardship, and we cannot continue. That is what the Labour Party wants to change.”

Datti Baba-Ahmed, Obi’s running mate in the 2023 presidential elections, asked LP supporters in the state to leverage their numerical strength to ensure the victory of their candidate.

On his part, the LP governorship candidate asked his supporters to use their votes to “chase” the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) out of the Edo government house.