As campaigns begin for the 2027 general elections, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi has marshaled out his plans for Nigerians pledging to run a campaign devoid of ethnicity and religion.
Obi also gave a blow by blow account of how he will develop the country including his areas of concentration in the various regions of the country while speaking to journalists at a world press conference in his home in Onitsha, Anambra State on Friday.
He said the election is a defining moment for Nigeria’s democracy, and gives Nigerians the opportunity to assess the records, ideas and plans of those seeking their mandate to lead their country at a time of grave uncertainty in a rapidly changing world.
Here is part of his text: “I consider myself quite privileged to be one of those seeking your mandate to deal with these challenges facing our country. I bring to this contest one unshakable conviction: Nigeria can work, Nigeria must work. Nigeria has a number of serious challenges. Some are truly existential in nature.
The IMF estimates that 63% of Nigerians, or over 140 million people, live at or below the national poverty line, while humanitarian agencies estimate that 35 million people will need food assistance in the 2026 lean season. Some 3.6 million Nigerians are internally displaced, mostly because of conflict and insecurity.
Every year millions of young people enter the labor market, but far too many find it difficult to find productive opportunities. Households continue to be burdened and enterprises constrained by weak infrastructure, unreliable power, insecurity and the high cost of doing business. These are not statistics. They reflect the daily realities of Nigerian families, farmers, workers, students and businesses.”
Obi, who vowed to run a campaign free of ethnicity and religion, said: “The campaign period is a period of opportunity for every citizen to participate in the national conversation. Nigerians must examine each candidate’s record and proposals; ask hard questions; and demand evidence behind every promise.
“We must challenge ideas without hate, compete without violence and disagree without weakening the bonds that bind us. “When Nigerians make their choice, that choice must be respected.
“Nigerians should reject and dismiss any campaign that is driven by propaganda, ethnicity, religion, elitism and cronyism. “My team and I, as we travel across the country, will listen to Nigerians, understand their needs and concerns and assure them that we have the competence, character and compassion to lead and reset Nigeria for the good of all.
Obi, who promised to strengthen the six geopolitical zones, espoused the strength of Nigeria’s diversity. “Nigeria’s diversity is an economic strength. Each region has its own assets, and national policy must unlock those assets and link them to one productive economy.
“The Northwest can grow agriculture, livestock, irrigation, agro-processing and manufacturing while improving education and security. The Northeast has the potential to accelerate reconstruction, restore livelihoods and expand agriculture, education, enterprise and regional trade.
“The North-Central can increase food production and processing even as it develops its mineral resources responsibly. The Southwest has the opportunity to build on its strengths in manufacturing, technology, finance, trade and the creative economy.
“The Southeast can boost its entrepreneurial and industrial strength through better infrastructure, stronger connectivity and greater access to investment. The South-South can provide more value-added to oil and gas and expand maritime services, fisheries, agriculture, and other productive sectors with stronger environmental protection.
“The Federal Capital Territory has to show what good urban planning, transportation, housing, sanitation, security and public services can achieve. Every region must generate. All regions must contribute. Every region must get a benefit.”
The presidential hopeful seized the occasion to speak about his pedigree in governance, saying, “My successful private-sector experience, studies in institutions of repute on policy and business matters, and my service as Governor of Anambra State have shaped my understanding of public leadership. Government must be responsible in its use of resources, it must establish clear priorities and it must measure the outcomes of its decisions. Public office is a public trust. It is not a reward for services.
“In Anambra, I concentrated on the fundamentals of long term development; education, healthcare, infrastructure, fiscal discipline and institutional capacity. I do not offer that record as perfect, but as an experience from which Nigerians can draw their own conclusions.
“Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has a complementary but different governing experience. As Governor of Kano State, he emphasized education, technical training, scholarships, infrastructure and human-capital development. His administration’s investment in education and skills reflected an appreciation that the people are the most important long-term resource of any state.
“Our experiences are different, but we agree on the conclusion that Nigeria must invest in its people and manage public resources with discipline,” Obi said.