2027: In Plateau, Obi pledges to unite Nigeria, tackle insecurity, poverty

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged to unite Nigeria, end insecurity and lift millions of citizens out of poverty if elected in 2027.

Mr Obi made the pledge on Tuesday during a town hall meeting with supporters in Jos, Plateau State, where he outlined his agenda for the country, identifying national unity, security, economic productivity and accountable leadership as the priorities of his administration.

The former Anambra State Governor said Nigeria had become increasingly divided along ethnic and religious lines, insisting that restoring national cohesion would be central to addressing the country’s political, economic and security challenges.

“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,” he said.

Mr Obi identified insecurity as another major challenge requiring urgent intervention, promising to ensure that Nigerians could live and conduct their businesses without fear of attacks, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

“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 said.

He also pledged to prioritise the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral communities, arguing that the continued displacement of Nigerians reflected the failure of government to guarantee their safety.

“If any Nigerian remains in an IDP 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 said.

The NDC candidate vowed to strengthen the country’s security architecture and ensure that kidnappers and other criminal elements were pursued and brought to justice.

“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.

Mr Obi said his decision to engage communities through town hall meetings before the formal commencement of campaigns was informed by the need to understand citizens’ concerns and develop policies based on their actual needs.

“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.

He recalled his visits to Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Mangu and other violence-affected communities in Plateau State, describing the security situation as unacceptable.

The former governor said his presidential ambition was driven by the need to address the suffering of victims of insecurity, particularly displaced families and households that had lost loved ones to 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?”

On the 2027 general election, Mr Obi urged Nigerians to take responsibility for protecting their votes, insisting that electoral accountability should not be left entirely to electoral institutions.

He called on voters to remain at polling units after casting their ballots to monitor the counting, recording and transmission of results.

“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.

“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, Mr Obi said his administration would seek to transform Nigeria from a consumption-driven economy into a production-based one, arguing that increased local production would stimulate employment, strengthen businesses and reduce poverty.

He said insecurity had prevented farmers from accessing their farmlands and contributed to the collapse of businesses, including companies operating in Plateau State.

“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.

“By increasing production, we will increase employment. 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.”

Mr Obi also promised to improve access to funding for small and medium-sized businesses, saying his experience in the financial sector has given him an understanding of the difficulties entrepreneurs face when seeking credit.

He said his administration would work to ensure that a portion of credit available in the banking sector was directed towards small businesses to support their growth and capacity to create jobs.

“I know what it means to access funding. I have been a director and chairman of a financial institution, and I understand how banks operate,” he said.

On corruption, the presidential candidate promised to strengthen accountability in public finance and ensure that government resources 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. I will fight corruption. Public money must be used for public good. Today, public money is wrongly being used, and that must change,” he said.

The NDC candidate also promised increased investment in education, expressing concern over the estimated 18 million Nigerian children who are out of school.

He said his administration would construct additional classrooms, recruit teachers and improve the quality of public education to ensure that more children had access to functional schools.

“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.

On healthcare, Mr Obi called for stronger investment in primary healthcare centres, saying inadequate medical facilities in many communities had contributed to preventable deaths, particularly among pregnant women and children.

He lamented that many Nigerians lacked access to functional hospitals and were sometimes compelled to seek help from religious institutions when they fell ill.

“The foundation of access to healthcare is primary healthcare. We must strengthen our primary healthcare centres and ensure that every community has access to quality medical services,” he said.

He also expressed concern over poverty, infant mortality and the growing number of out-of-school children, arguing that Nigeria has the resources to address these challenges through strategic investment in education, healthcare and agriculture.

Mr Obi further stressed that government must demonstrate compassion by prioritising vulnerable citizens, including poor people, elderly Nigerians and persons living with disabilities.

“For a government to exist, it must care for the vulnerable. It must care for the poor and those living with disabilities. If we don’t care for the poor, we are not caring for ourselves,” he said.

He explained that the town hall meetings were designed to provide an opportunity for citizens to communicate their concerns and expectations directly to those seeking political office.

Earlier, during a courtesy visit to the Plateau State Traditional Council in Jos, Mr Obi said Nigeria could not make meaningful progress while citizens continued to live in fear.

He called for competent, committed and compassionate leadership capable of responding effectively to the challenges confronting the country.

READ ALSO: 2027: Peter Obi meets Plateau traditional rulers, decries insecurity

“We want a government that has the capacity to do the job. We want a government that has compassion, a government that hears the cries of mothers who have lost their children,” he said.

“We want a government that is committed to the future of Nigeria. Commitment is very important, and that is what we are going to offer Nigerians.”

Responding, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, appealed to politicians and Nigerians to ensure that political activities did not aggravate the country’s security challenges.

He urged political actors to promote peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among citizens, regardless of their ethnic and religious differences.

“We want to appeal to all politicians and all Nigerians that we should not allow politics to worsen our situation. We already have insecurity, and we must be determined to live with each other in peace and with respect for one another,” he said.

The traditional ruler also prayed for divine guidance in the emergence of a leader capable of governing Nigeria effectively and restoring its greatness.

He urged politicians to conduct their activities peacefully and avoid actions capable of heightening tensions during the electioneering period.