The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to demand accountable and competent leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi made the call at his residence in Onitsha, Anambra State, while marking the commencement of his 2027 presidential campaign alongside his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The former Anambra State governor said the campaign would focus on addressing insecurity, poverty and hunger, the growing number of out-of-school children, as well as challenges in education and healthcare.
He also promised to pursue economic policies aimed at promoting inclusive growth, creating jobs and improving the living conditions of vulnerable Nigerians.
Obi urged all presidential candidates to come before Nigerians, present their credentials and records, and subject their policies and programmes to public scrutiny.
He said candidates seeking the presidency should not rely on proxies or surrogates but must have the courage to engage directly with citizens and respond to their concerns.
“Every candidate seeking the presidency must have the courage to come before the people, answer their questions, defend their records, and subject their vision to public scrutiny,” Obi said.
He stressed that effective leadership requires physical engagement and empathy, particularly with communities affected by insecurity, terrorism, criminality and natural disasters.
According to him, he and Kwankwaso would take their campaign directly to Nigerians, listen to their concerns and respond to their questions without delegating the responsibility to proxies.
Obi said his proposed administration would seek to “reset” Nigeria by strengthening national unity, improving security, promoting inclusive economic growth and shifting the country from consumption to production.
He urged Nigerians to scrutinise the records and proposals of all candidates and demand evidence behind their campaign promises.
The NDC candidate also called on political parties and their supporters to conduct issue-based campaigns and avoid violence, hatred, ethnic divisions and religious sentiments.
He said the outcome of the 2027 election should be determined by “capacity, competence, compassion, character and commitment” rather than ethnicity, religion or political propaganda.
On the economy, Obi said sustainable development required reforms that would translate into better living conditions, stronger human capital and greater opportunities for Nigerians.
He pledged to reduce wasteful government spending while protecting investments in sectors capable of creating jobs and expanding productive capacity.
“We will cut wasteful spending while protecting investments that create jobs and expand productive capacity. We will raise public revenue without stifling businesses and invest in education, healthcare, security, and infrastructure because they are foundations for future prosperity,” he said.
Obi further pledged to strengthen institutions and build systems capable of surviving beyond individual administrations.
He maintained that Nigeria possesses the human and material resources required to become safer and more productive, but said competent leadership was needed to transform the country’s potential into tangible results.
“Nigeria’s challenges are real, but so are its opportunities. We have the people, resources, enterprise, and creativity to build a safer, more productive country. Our task is to turn these possibilities into results,” he said.
Obi also reminded Nigerians that democratic accountability should continue beyond election day, urging citizens to demand transparency, accountability and measurable results from elected officials.
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