Isaac Samuel
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has formally commenced his campaign for the 2027 presidential election, declaring that Nigeria must urgently move from a consumption-driven economy to one centred on production, investment and human capital development.
Obi, who spoke on Friday to mark the commencement of the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly campaign season, said the election offered Nigerians an opportunity to scrutinise the records, ideas and programmes of those seeking to lead the country.
He declared that despite the economic, security and social challenges confronting the country, Nigeria possessed the resources, population, talent and entrepreneurial capacity required to achieve sustainable development.
“I enter this contest with one firm conviction: Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor identified poverty, insecurity, unemployment, weak infrastructure, unreliable electricity and the high cost of doing business among the major challenges confronting Nigerians.
Citing International Monetary Fund figures, he said 63 per cent, representing more than 140 million Nigerians, live at or below the national poverty line, while humanitarian agencies estimate that about 35 million people would require food assistance during the 2026 lean season.
He said about 3.6 million Nigerians remained internally displaced, largely as a result of conflict and insecurity, while millions of young Nigerians entering the labour market each year continued to struggle to find productive employment.
Obi said the statistics represented the daily realities of families, farmers, workers, students and businesses across the country.
“These are more than statistics. They reflect the daily realities of Nigerian families, farmers, workers, students, and businesses,” he said.
However, he argued that Nigeria’s problems were not insurmountable, insisting that the country had the people, resources, market, talent and enterprise required to overcome them.
“What we must do now is turn these strengths into security, productivity, and shared prosperity,” he said.
Obi said his experience in the private sector, academic exposure to policy and business matters and his tenure as governor of Anambra State had shaped his understanding of public leadership.
According to him, government must manage public resources responsibly, establish clear priorities and measure the outcomes of its decisions.
“Public office is not a reward; it is a responsibility to the people,” he said.
Reflecting on his record in Anambra, Obi said his administration concentrated on education, healthcare, infrastructure, fiscal discipline and institutional capacity as foundations for long-term development.
He acknowledged that his record was not perfect, but urged Nigerians to assess it based on its achievements and lessons.
Obi highlighted the governing experience of his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, saying the former Kano State governor focused strongly on education, technical training, scholarships, infrastructure and human-capital development.
He said although their political and governing experiences were different, both had reached the same conclusion that Nigeria must invest in its people and manage public resources with discipline.
“Our experiences are different, but our conclusion is the same: Nigeria must invest in its people and manage public resources with discipline,” he said.
Obi promises production-driven economy
Obi said the central question for any government should be whether Nigerians were actually experiencing improvements in their living standards.
He asked whether citizens could afford food, education and healthcare, whether businesses could produce and expand, and whether young Nigerians could find productive employment.
“These are the measures that matter,” he said.
He promised that his economic agenda would place production, investment, enterprise and human capital at the centre of governance.
In agriculture, Obi said his administration would seek to increase productivity by securing farming communities, expanding irrigation, improving rural roads and storage facilities, and connecting farmers to finance and markets.
He also promised to strengthen manufacturing and agro-processing, arguing that Nigeria must process more of its raw materials locally and increase exports of finished products.
“We will create a business environment where entrepreneurs can invest, hire, and grow without unnecessary regulatory or infrastructure barriers,” he said.
He added that public finances would be managed responsibly, with every naira expected to have a clear purpose and major public investments subjected to measurable outcomes.
“The goal is not growth for its own sake, but an economy that produces more, employs more people, creates wealth, and improves living standards,” Obi said.
On insecurity, Obi said no nation could prosper when its citizens could not live, farm, travel or conduct businesses safely.
He noted that insecurity had displaced millions of Nigerians and disrupted agriculture, education, trade and investment.
He therefore proposed improved intelligence gathering and coordination among security agencies, stronger policing and border management, and greater use of technology.
He advocated decentralising security management while maintaining strong coordination between the different levels of government.
According to him, security must go beyond the deployment of security personnel to addressing the economic and social conditions that make vulnerable young people susceptible to criminal recruitment.
“Farmers cannot produce food if they cannot reach their farms safely. Children lose the chance to learn when they cannot attend school safely. Businesses cannot create jobs when they cannot move goods securely,” he said.
Obi said Nigeria’s large population and labour force should be treated as economic opportunities rather than liabilities.
He argued that the country’s large domestic market could become an engine for investment, production and enterprise if properly harnessed.
“Nigeria cannot import its way to prosperity. We will produce more of what we consume, process more of what we produce, and compete more effectively in global markets.”
He listed agriculture, manufacturing, technology, construction, energy, creative industries and services as sectors capable of driving economic transformation.
He said the objective would be to turn Nigeria’s population into productive human capital, its natural resources into value-added industries and its domestic market into a platform for investment.
The NDC candidate also rejected the idea that Nigeria’s growing youth population constituted a burden.
Instead, he described young Nigerians as the country’s “greatest asset,” provided they were given the education, skills and opportunities required to participate productively in the economy.
He promised to improve basic education, strengthen universities and expand technical and vocational training.
“Nigeria needs doctors, engineers, scientists, and lawyers, as well as technicians, mechanics, builders, nurses, farmers, programmers, manufacturers, artisans, and entrepreneurs,” he said.
According to him, the ultimate objective would be to secure a strong demographic dividend from Nigeria’s youthful population.
Obi promises stronger healthcare
On healthcare, the former governor said Nigeria’s health indicators remained a major concern, particularly maternal and infant mortality.
He pledged to strengthen primary healthcare, improve maternal and child health, expand access to essential medicines and equip healthcare workers to deliver effective services.
He described health as an essential component of human capital, arguing that a productive economy could not be built around an unhealthy population.
Obi outlined a region-by-region development strategy, saying Nigeria’s diversity should be treated as an economic strength.
He said the North-West could expand agriculture, livestock, irrigation, agro-processing and manufacturing while improving education and security.
For the North-East, he proposed accelerated reconstruction, restoration of livelihoods and expansion of agriculture, education, enterprise and regional trade.
He said the North-Central could strengthen food production and processing while responsibly developing its mineral resources.
The South-West, he said, could build on its strengths in manufacturing, technology, finance, trade and the creative economy.
For the South-East, Obi proposed improved infrastructure, stronger connectivity and greater access to investment to support its entrepreneurial and industrial base.
He said the South-South should derive greater value from oil and gas while expanding maritime services, fisheries and agriculture, alongside stronger environmental protection.
The Federal Capital Territory, he added, should demonstrate what efficient urban planning, transportation, housing, sanitation, security and public services could achieve.
“Every region must produce. Every region must contribute. Every region must benefit,” he declared.
Obi also challenged presidential candidates in the 2027 election to make themselves available to Nigerians and subject their records and programmes to public scrutiny.
He urged voters to examine the credentials, records and proposals of all candidates and demand evidence behind their promises.
He warned against campaigns based on ethnicity, religion, propaganda, elitism and cronyism.
“The 2027 election must be guided by capacity, competence, compassion, character, and commitment,” he said.
Obi said democracy should not be reduced to the election itself, stressing that citizens must continue to demand transparency, accountability and results from elected officials after voting.
He criticised candidates who rely on proxies and surrogates to campaign on their behalf.
“No candidate should hide behind the high walls of power, send proxies or surrogates to the hustings, and expect Nigerians to entrust them with the leadership of the country,” he said.
According to him, anyone seeking the presidency must have the courage to travel across the country, meet citizens, listen to their concerns, answer questions and defend their records.
“True leadership requires presence and empathy. No one can lead from the front without standing with communities across Nigeria devastated by banditry, criminality, terrorism, and flooding.
‘We will not delegate engagement to proxies’
Obi said he and his running mate would personally take their campaign message across the country rather than delegate their engagement with voters to proxies.
“Today, I make this clear commitment: my running mate and I will take our message directly to Nigerians. We will listen to them, understand their concerns, and engage them openly,” he said.
He promised that the campaign would focus on the concerns of Nigerians, including insecurity, poverty, hunger, education, healthcare, unemployment and the number of out-of-school children.
He said Nigerians deserved leaders capable of presenting clear solutions and uniting the country around a common purpose.
“I commit to commencing the journey of resetting Nigeria by uniting it, securing it on the path of economic and inclusive growth, and moving our country from consumption to production.
“A New Nigeria is possible,” he said.
