morganabLE Politics/elections
On security, the NDC presidential candidate described the protection of lives and property as the primary responsibility of government, promising to confront insecurity, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
KaNo—
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has unveiled a governance agenda centred on national unity, security, economic productivity, education and accountability, pledging to restore hope to Nigerians if elected president in 2027.
Obi made the pledge on Tuesday during a town hall meeting with supporters and other Nigerians in Jos, Plateau State, where he outlined his proposed priorities and said his administration would be guided by the needs and expectations of citizens.
The former Anambra State governor identified national unity as the foremost priority of his presidential ambition, lamenting the divisions along ethnic and religious lines in the country.
“Our number one commitment is to unite the Federal Republic of Nigeria because today we have no unity. We are divided along tribal and religious lines. That should not be. We are Nigerians,” Obi said.
He said his administration would work towards building a country where citizens would see themselves first as Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic, religious or regional backgrounds.
On security, the NDC presidential candidate described the protection of lives and property as the primary responsibility of government, promising to confront insecurity, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
“Number two is to secure Nigeria. It is our duty to ensure that Nigerians live in safety, in a country where people are no longer killed daily,” he said.
Obi expressed concern over the continued loss of lives and the suffering of families affected by violence, promising that his administration would take decisive steps to end the situation.
“I assure you that no mother will continue to cry over the loss of her children. No woman should experience the pain of losing her husband, and no father should suffer the agony of losing his wife,” he added.
He also promised to prioritise the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral communities, describing the continued existence of IDP camps as an indication of failure by government to guarantee security.
“If any Nigerian remains in an Internally Displaced Persons camp, we have failed. Once one Nigerian is in an IDP camp, the entire Nigeria is in an IDP camp. People must return to their homes,” he stated.
The former governor further vowed to strengthen the country’s security architecture and ensure that kidnappers and other criminal elements were pursued.
“Nobody will kidnap two children and disappear into the bush. If you kidnap children and go into the bush, you will not be alone there. We will come after you,” he declared.
Obi recalled his visits to Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and other conflict-affected communities in Plateau State, saying the experiences reinforced his determination to address insecurity if elected.
He explained that the town hall engagement was part of his decision to consult Nigerians before the commencement of election campaigns, arguing that leadership should be based on citizens’ needs rather than political promises.
“When you want to serve, you must listen to the people. When we come for campaigns, we only talk and we don’t listen to the people. We have decided that leadership must be demand-driven,” he said.
Obi said his presidential ambition was driven by the need to address the suffering of displaced persons, bereaved families and communities affected by violence.
“If I have one person in an IDP camp, it means we are all in an IDP camp. I am competing because I want to know how we talk to that mother whose child was killed, that husband who lost a wife and that woman who lost a husband. Who is going to listen to their cries?” he asked.
On the 2027 general election, Obi urged Nigerians to actively participate in protecting their votes, insisting that voters should remain at polling units until the electoral process was concluded.
“In the next election, every voter is an agent. Don’t vote and go home. Take that day as the one day you are giving to Nigeria as a patriotic Nigerian,” he said.
He urged voters to make adequate preparations to remain at polling stations throughout the process, stressing that their votes must be counted, recorded and transmitted.
“Your vote must be counted, recorded and transmitted. Nobody should give you any excuse. It is your vote, and we want this election to be about the future of Nigeria,” he added.
On the economy, the NDC candidate promised to move Nigeria away from a consumption-based economy towards production, arguing that increased local production would create employment opportunities, improve incomes and reduce poverty.
“Our determination is to unite Nigeria, secure Nigeria and pull people out of poverty. That is why we said we are going to move Nigeria from consumption to production,” he said.
He identified insecurity as one of the major obstacles to economic activities, particularly agriculture and industrial development, noting that farmers in affected communities could no longer access their farmlands while some businesses had collapsed.
“Today, farmers cannot go to their farms because of insecurity. Companies operating in Plateau State have collapsed because of insecurity. When we unite Nigeria and secure it, we will create opportunities,” Obi said.
On access to finance, he pledged to introduce measures that would enable small businesses to obtain more credit from the banking sector.
The former governor said his experience in the financial sector had given him an understanding of how financial institutions operated and the challenges entrepreneurs faced in accessing loans.
“We will ensure that a portion of credit available in the banking sector goes to small businesses to enable them to grow and create jobs,” he said.
Obi also promised to tackle corruption and ensure that public funds were deployed for the benefit of citizens.
“I have managed public money, so when I say I am going to fight corruption, I know what I am talking about,” he said.
He added, “I will fight corruption. Public money must be used for public good. Today, public money is wrongly being used, and that must change.”
On education, Obi expressed concern over the estimated 18 million out-of-school children in Nigeria, pledging increased investment in the sector to improve access and learning conditions.
He promised to construct additional classrooms, recruit teachers and strengthen the functionality of public schools to ensure that more children returned to the classroom.
“We want our children to go back to school. We want our schools to work. The more educated you are as a nation, the more developed you become,” he said.
“We will build new classrooms, employ teachers and ensure that our schools function properly. We cannot continue to allow millions of Nigerian children to remain outside the classroom,” Obi added.
