MORGANABLE politics/Governance
The former Anambra State governor also used the address to promise a governance style that is measurable and focused on improving the welfare and productivity of citizens.
KANo—
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has pledged not to spend any of his holidays outside Nigeria if elected president in the 2027 general elections, stating that he would instead use such periods to travel across the country and engage directly with citizens.
Obi made the declaration in his Independence Day address delivered in Abuja on Thursday, where he outlined his vision of leadership anchored on accessibility, accountability and grassroots engagement.
According to him, his proposed approach to holidays reflects his broader commitment to understanding the realities faced by Nigerians in different parts of the country.
“As I have always done, I will lead by example. In four years as President of this great nation, I will not spend my holidays outside Nigeria,” Obi said.
“My holidays will be spent in Zamfara State, Borno State, Kwara State, Ebonyi State, Edo State, Ekiti State and other Nigerian states.”he added.
He added that the decision was borne out of a desire to deepen his connection with Nigerians and gain firsthand knowledge of the country’s socio-economic challenges.
“I want to continue to see Nigeria. I want to know Nigeria. I want to spend time with Nigerians, listen to them, understand their challenges and celebrate their resilience,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor also used the address to promise a governance style that is measurable and focused on improving the welfare and productivity of citizens.
He said his administration would prioritise transparency and accountability, noting that Nigerians would begin to witness tangible improvements within the first year of his tenure.
“As President of Nigeria, I will make governance measurable, accountable and centred on the welfare and productivity of our people. Within the first year, Nigerians will begin to see the tangible impact of purposeful and effective leadership,” Obi stated.
On security, the presidential hopeful assured Nigerians that his administration would take decisive steps to address the country’s persistent insecurity, which has affected farming, education and economic activities.
He said restoring safety across the country would enable farmers to return to their fields, children to go back to school and businesses to operate without fear.
“We will confront insecurity decisively so that our farmers can return to their farms, our children can return to school, businesses can operate freely, and families can live without fear,” he said.
Obi also condemned the continued existence of internally displaced persons camps across the country, insisting that no Nigerian should be forced to live in such conditions due to government failure.
“No Nigerian should be forced to live in an IDP camp because his or her government has failed to provide security,” he added.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s independence, Obi said the anniversary should serve as a moment for sober reflection on the country’s progress and challenges, while criticising the ruling All Progressives Congress-led administration for what he described as unmet promises.
According to him, despite assurances made in 2023, Nigeria continues to grapple with widespread poverty, a growing number of out-of-school children and persistent insecurity driven by terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
“Despite the enormous promises made by the APC-led government in 2023, our nation continues to face deepening challenges across virtually every critical sector of national life,” he said.
Obi argued that Nigeria’s primary challenge lies not in a lack of resources but in the inability of successive leaders to translate those resources into meaningful development outcomes.
“Our major challenge is not that we lack resources, but that we have failed to convert them into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity,” he said.
The NDC candidate also recounted his recent visit to Sokoto State alongside his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, where they held consultations on issues including insecurity, unemployment, drug abuse and education.
He said the visit included a stop at an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Ramin Kura within Sokoto metropolis, where they witnessed the conditions faced by displaced persons, particularly women and children.
“Instead, they live as displaced persons in their own country. What we saw in Ramin Kura is not an isolated story. It is a reflection of the suffering experienced, in different forms, across many parts of Nigeria,” Obi said.
He criticised the perceived disconnect between political leaders and the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians, accusing the current administration of acting as though the country’s problems were distant.
“While ordinary Nigerians struggle with these realities, this present government often behaves as though these problems belong to another country,” he said.
“The political leaders have failed our country and, most importantly, we have failed our children. This must change.”
Obi’s latest pledge comes weeks after he criticised the practice of Nigerian presidents spending holidays abroad, arguing that such periods should be used to engage citizens and assess conditions across the country.
He maintained that a president must demonstrate commitment to the nation by remaining within its borders during vacations, even when faced with security concerns.
“Nigeria’s President must spend his vacation in Nigeria. We cannot continue with this nonsense,” he said in an earlier remark. “The President should go to Zamfara, to Borno, to Anambra, to anywhere.”
He added that while official foreign trips may be necessary, personal holidays should be spent within the country.
“As President of Nigeria, I will visit other countries, but I will not take my holidays there,” Obi reiterated.
Meanwhile, political activities marking Independence Day in Akwa Ibom State were disrupted following a directive by the state police command to suspend rallies and public gatherings over security concerns.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Baba Azare, ordered all political parties and groups to reschedule planned events, citing intelligence reports suggesting that some individuals intended to exploit the gatherings to cause unrest.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, the command said the directive was issued in the interest of public safety.
“Following credible intelligence available to the Command indicating plans by some individuals to exploit scheduled political activities to cause disturbances and threaten public peace… all approvals earlier granted for political rallies, meetings, processions and other related public political activities scheduled to hold on Thursday, October 1, 2026, are hereby directed to be rescheduled,” the statement read.
The directive affected a planned two million-man march in support of Obi and Kwankwaso organised by the Obidient Movement in Uyo.
Reacting to the development, the State Director of the group, Benjamin Smith, expressed dissatisfaction with the police decision, describing it as a last-minute move that disrupted preparations.
Smith argued that the police had initially approved the march, only to reverse the decision shortly before the scheduled date.
He accused the authorities of frustrating supporters of the NDC candidate, while insisting that the group would comply with the directive in the interest of peace.
The developments come amid increasing political activities and alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with candidates intensifying engagements and outlining policy directions aimed at winning public support.
