The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Party, Peter Obi, has formally commenced his campaign for the 2027 presidential election, challenging other contenders to openly present their records, policies and capacity to govern before the Nigerian electorate.
Obi made the call on Friday during a press conference at his residence in Onitsha, Anambra State, as campaigns for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections officially got underway.
The former Anambra State governor said candidates seeking Nigerians’ mandate should not operate from behind the “high walls of power” or send representatives to speak on their behalf.
He argued that voters deserved direct engagement with those seeking to become president and should be given the opportunity to question their records, credentials, ideas and plans for the country.
Obi said genuine leadership required personal engagement with citizens, particularly communities facing insecurity, poverty, displacement, flooding and other hardships.
According to him, no candidate can effectively lead Nigerians without visiting affected communities, listening to residents and understanding their circumstances.
He said he and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, would personally take their campaign across the country and engage directly with Nigerians rather than delegate the responsibility to proxies.
Obi described the 2027 election as an opportunity for voters to critically assess the candidates competing for the presidency, particularly against the backdrop of the country’s economic and security challenges.
He maintained that Nigeria had the resources and human capacity to overcome its difficulties, insisting that “Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work.”
Among the challenges he identified were poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, internal displacement, insecurity, poor infrastructure, unreliable electricity and the high cost of doing business.
Obi said his administration would seek to transform the Nigerian economy from one driven largely by consumption and imports to an economy centred on production, investment, enterprise and human-capital development.
He stressed that Nigeria could not achieve prosperity by depending on imports, saying the country must increase domestic production, process its raw materials and become more competitive in the global market.
The former governor listed agriculture, manufacturing, technology, construction, energy, creative industries and services among the sectors his administration would prioritise.
He also promised to create an environment where businesses could invest, expand and create jobs without being held back by unnecessary regulatory or infrastructural challenges.
On agriculture, Obi said his government would focus on security, irrigation, rural roads, storage facilities, access to finance and markets, while promoting manufacturing and agro-processing.
He further promised greater accountability in public spending, insisting that every naira spent by government must have a clear purpose and that major public investments should deliver measurable results.
On security, Obi described insecurity as a major impediment to economic development, arguing that Nigerians could not farm, travel, trade or conduct businesses effectively when their lives and property were at risk.
He proposed improved intelligence gathering, better coordination among security agencies, stronger policing and border management, as well as increased use of technology and lawful community-based mechanisms for identifying threats.
The presidential candidate also pledged to strengthen basic education, improve universities and expand technical and vocational training.
In the health sector, he promised greater attention to maternal and child healthcare, improved access to essential medicines and better-equipped health workers.
Obi said his proposed development strategy would allow each region to maximise its economic strengths while contributing to national growth.
He identified agriculture, livestock, irrigation, agro-processing and manufacturing as areas of opportunity in the North-West, while the North-East, he said, could focus on reconstruction, agriculture, education and enterprise.
He said the North-Central could expand food production and processing while developing its mineral resources responsibly.
For the South-West, Obi highlighted manufacturing, technology, finance, trade and the creative economy, while describing entrepreneurship and industrial development as key strengths of the South-East.
He identified oil and gas, maritime services, fisheries and agriculture as major opportunities for the South-South, alongside the need for stronger environmental protection.
“Every region must produce. Every region must contribute. Every region must benefit,” Obi said.
He urged Nigerians to scrutinise the records and programmes of all presidential candidates and demand clear evidence for their campaign promises.
Obi also called for issue-based campaigns, warning against the use of ethnicity, religion, hatred, propaganda and violence in the 2027 contest.
He said his campaign would focus on the concerns of ordinary Nigerians and pledged to pursue a programme aimed at uniting the country, tackling insecurity and poverty, improving education and healthcare, and building an economy that works for citizens.
Obi declared that his campaign would be the beginning of what he described as an effort to “reset Nigeria” through national unity, improved security and inclusive economic growth.